Rose's Kids
by lulu8706
Summary: This is after Rose and Tom had gotten married and have children. This is what happens through out the children's lives.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Rose, it's time to go."

"Ok." Rose said softly as she looked down at her mother's grave. Thirteen years, Rose thought. Where have the years gone? I miss you so much, mom. Rose turned and followed her husband of five years to the car. Rose visited her mother's grave every year. Sometimes she would wonder if her mother died for no reason. Claudia had her life taken by Rose's abusive step-father, John, when she was only 10 years old. She still had nightmares from it.

Rose joined Tom in the car and they were off. They headed back into West City to go shopping. Rose wanted to get a new outfit to wear to a party they were going to at Bulma's that night.

"Rose, is it nessecary that you buy an outfit?" Tom asked. Rose knew why he was asking. With both of them still being in college, they couldn't afford to splurge that often.

"I know exactlly what I want. I saw it a couple of weeks ago while I was shopping. Besides, you know I never really do anything like this." Rose tried to reason.

"I know. But what's so important that you HAVE to have this outfit?"

"You know we haven't seen everyone since our wedding. I want to look really nice."

"Ok. Let's go see this precious outfit of yours." Tom smiled as they walked into the mall. Rose went straight to the store that had the outfit. When they walked to the spot it was in, they found a woman standing there. She turned and said,

"Tom! Rose! It's been such a long time!"

"Julia? How have you been?" Tom asked.

"I've been great. You both look great!" It reallly surprised Rose that Julia acknowledged both of them. She and Julia weren't the best of friends in high school. Julia was with Tom when Rose started going there thier senior year.

"You look great, too, Julia. What are you doing these days?" Rose asked.

"Well, I work in the mall across town in my mother's beautitian shop."

"And you shop here?"

"I'm geting tired of the clothes, so I decided to try here. I married about a year ago. Rocky, come here. This is Tom and his wife, Rose. Guys, this is my husband, Rocky."

"Rocky! From the Science Club, right?" Tom asked. Rose remembered seeing him in the hallway every once in a while. He was tall with short brown hair and green eyes.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm surprised you remembered me." Rocky said.

"Of course I do! We were friends our freshman and sphomore years. Those were fun times."

"That they were. I remember seeing you, Rose. You were a very quiet person." Rocky said, turning his attention to her.

"I had enough attention on me as it was. I didn't need anymore." Rose said.

"About that," Julia said, "I'm sorry about all that happened then. Now that we're older, I see how stupid it was." This surprised Rose. She couldn't believe Julia was saying it. And Rose could tell Julia meant every single word of it.

"It's ok. That's the past. Anyway, in your hand, you hold the exact pair of jeans I came here to buy."

"Really? I was thinking about buying a pair myself."

"I know the cutest top to go with it." Rose said as she grabbed a pair of the jeans in her in her size. Both girls walked to the shirts, leaving the guys to talk amongst themselves.

"What are you doing these days? Oh, this really is a cute shirt." Julia commented as Rose showed her the shirt.

"Well, I'm in my last year of college. Tom still has another four."

"What are you studying?"

"Elementary level teaching."

"Really? What about Tom?"

"He's studying to become a doctor. Oh, look. You would look good in thid brown color." Rose said, grabbing the same style of shirt, only in brown.

"This red would look good on you. You looked so beautiful in that prom dress, Rose. I was actually a little jealous. If it weren't for that accident, you and Tom would have gotten prom king and queen." Julia said as they went to try on their outfits.

"No way. You would have won had I been there or not." Rose said as they walked into their changing stalls. They walked out a few minutes later to praise each other on how they looked.

"You look great!" Rose heard from their right. Both girls looked over to see their husbands looking at them.

"And to think they were worst enimes in high school." Rocky said, walking up to Julia and smiling.

"I know. And to think I was in the middle of it." Tom said with a smile.

"It was all your fault. Rose saod jokingly. They all laughed and then Rose and Julia went to get changed. Rose and Tom went to pay for the clothes, and then walked back over to Julia and Rocky.

"Hey, here's my number. Maybe we can get together for lunch sometime and have lunch." Julia said.

"Sure. Well, me and Tom need to get going. It was really nice to see you again and not argue about anything."

"Amen to that, sister." Julia said, smiling. The couples said their good-byes and then Rose and Tom were off.

"It's nice to se her settled down. I didn't really see her asone to settle down so quickly."

"Love happens faster than you think."

"I know. We figured that one out." Rose said as they drove out of the parking lot.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Ready to go, Rose?" Tom was saying a few hours later.

"Just about." Rose answered, running her brush through her jet black hair. "Ok, let's go." Rose couldn't wait. to tell them all the news. She had even been keeping it from Tom. She told him everything. She always had. They had a stong bond, but she wanted him to be surprised.

As they walked into Capsule Corp, where Bulma and Vegeta lived upstiars, a receptionist stopped them.

"May I help you?" The pretty brunette said.

"Um, we're here for the party Bulma Briefs is holding." Tom said as he and Rose walked up to the counter.

"Oh. Just go into the enviroment center. It's straight ahead." The receptionist said, pointing to a set of double doors to their left, all the way in the back of the room. Rose and Tom entered to see everyone had made it, even Piccolo, who was hard to find most of the time. Bulma spotted them them just as Rose spotted her and she walked over.

"Hey, guys! You made it! Rose, you look great! Where'd you get that outfit?"

"From the mall on this side of the city."

"It looks really good on you."

"Thanks. Hi, Krillin. Hi, 18." Rose said as the couple walked up.

"Hey. Haven't seen you guys since your wedding. Been to busy to visit?" Krillin asked, elbowing Tom playfully.

"You could say that." Tom said, smiling back. The two men walked off, talking.

"Men." Rose said with a smile and a shake of her head. Both the other women nodded in agreement. "How have you been, 18?" Rose askd, turning her attention to the pretty blonde woman on her left.

"I've been great. So, what do you think about married life?"

"I enjoy it."

"Yeah, but you can't look at other guys. Don't you miss that?" Bulma asked, smiling.

"You can look, you just can't flirt, that's all." Rose said with a smile of her own.

"Toche. Very good point." 18 said. They had walked from the door to the tables where the food was and were looking at the selection.

"Rose, it's been a couple of weeks. How have you been?" Rose looked up to see her grandmother, Videl.

"Grandma! I've been great! Up to my eyeballs in homework. How is Grandpa Gohan?"

"Pretty good." Gohan said as he wakjed up. Rose set down her paper plate and hugged her grandparents.

"Where's Tom?" Gohan asked as he pulled out of the hug.

"Over there with Krillin and Yamcha." Rose said, nodding in their direction they were standing in.

"So, he comes to a party and then leave you, huh?" Videl said with a smile.

"Hey, isn't like it's a party where I don't know anyone, right?"

"Yeah, you're right." Rose drifted around and talked to people as the night wore on. It was about an hour later by the time she got back to Bulma.

"Having fun?"

"Sure am. I was wondering if I could make an announcment?"

"Sure. Hey, everybody! Rose has an announcment to make! Ok, Rose, the floor is all yours." Bulma said. Tom made his way back to Rose and said,

"Rose, what is this about?"

"You'll see. Ok, this is even news to Tom, guys."

"Is something wrong? Is this about last week's doctor's appointment?"

"No, there's nothing wrong and yes, it's about the appointment."

"Well, what is it, then?" Rose heard Chi chi ask.

"I'm going to have a baby!" Rose cried gleefully. She turned back to Tom to see that his jaw had dropped.

"Are you serious?" He managed to ask.

"Yes."

"That's great! We're going to have a baby! I can't believe this!" Tom cried as he hugged her. He kissed her, pulled back, and looked into her eyes. His kisses still made her knees weak, even after five years of marrige. Before the end of the party, eveyone had come up and gave their congratulatiuons to the new parents-to-be.

"I'm so excited to think about seeing a great-great-grandchild!" Chi chi saod.

"I'm excited knowing that I'm carrying. I've always wanted kids." Rose said, her eyes just as lit up as her great-grandmother's.

"How long have you thought you were pregnant, Rose?" Tom asked.

"I took a pregnancy test two weeks ago and then followed it up with the with the doctor's visit."

"I'm about as excited as when I found out Chi chi was pregnant with Gohan." Goku said, hugging Rose and shaking Tom's hand.

"It was so hard not telling you, but I wanted it to be just as much a surprise to you as everyone else.

"Hey, I understand. It was more exciting finding out this way." Tom said, putting his arm around her. Before anyone realized it, it was ten o' clock.

"We better get going, Tom. We have classes tomorrow." Rose said when she realized what time it was.

"It's already been five hours?" Tom asked as he looked at his watch.

"Yeah. Time flies. Bulma, it was great catching up with you. I'll make sure to drop by every once in a while and let you know how I'm doing."

"You better, especially with a baby on the way." Bulma said as she walked them back to the door. Rose hugged her great-grandmother's best friend, and one of hers, and then climbed into the car, which Tim had pulled up to the front door.

"Look at you, all beautiful and pregnant." Tome said as he drove.

"Naw, just pregnant. Let's make this fun. Do you want a boy or a girl?"

"Um, how about a girl? Then I'll have two beautiful women living in my house."

"Ok, but what if it's more than one?"

"Do you think it is?"

"To early to tell yet. I kind of hope it's multiples."

"Now this is interesting. We'll have to leave the subject there for tonight and get some rest. You're going to need it." Tom said as they walked into the house.

"I'm drained, anyway." Rose said as they climbed the stairs and went to bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Ok, let's see what we have here." The doctor said, starting the ultrasound, Rose was in her fourth month, and was finding out what she was going to have. Tom stood beside the table Rose lay on, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. They both knew it was going to be more than one, but the ultrasounds had always shown just one.

"Well." The doctor said.

"What?" Tom asked.

"Appears Rose was right. There is more than one."

"Told you. I've been telling him that for the past two months." Rose explained.

"Well, how many are there?" Tom asked.

"Looks like three."

"What!" Both Rose and Tom cried in unison.

"More than you expected?"

"Yes." Rose said.

"What are they?"

"If what I'm seeing is right, two boys and a girl. No wonder you grew so quickly, huh?" She said with a laugh, bringing her large hazel eyes to Rose's now very large stomach.

"Yes." Rose said as she cleaned the gel off her stomach and then pulled her shirt down. Tom helped her up and the doctor said,

"I know how it feels to carry multiples."

"You've had multiples?"

"Twins. Three times."

"Wow. Bet your hands are full." Tom said.

"Especially with each set being only a year apart."

"You have such a big family." Rose said as they all walked to the door.

"I always wanted to have a big family. I was an only child, when most of my friends had at least three siblings. Here's your next appointment date. Now, you need to eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Don't stress over things. Well, try at least." The doctor said said as she handed Rose an appointment card.

"Thanks, Miranda. Grandma and grandpa are going to be very excited." Rose said. Miranda had met Rose at the after party of her and Tom's graduation. She was one of 18's friends and she was the that Rose had decided to go to for the pregnancy test.

"I bet so. They were really excited about you graduating when I met them at the party. Claire, I'm ready for my next patient. I'll see you in another six weeks." Miranda said as she turned back to Rose and Tom with a smile.

"Bye." Rose said, walking out into the waiting room. She and Tom walked to the car and Tom opened the door for her.

"Let's go see Bulma. She might want an update."

"Ok." Rose couldn't believe it. Three babies, all at once. And she thought it was going to be hard enough with only one. They arrived and walked into the building. They climed to the third story, where Rose had to stop.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah. Just a little winded. I just need to catch my breath." When Rose no longer felt as if her lungs were going to burst, they walked up to the door and Tom knocked. Nothing happend for a few mintues, so Tom knocked again. This time they heard a faint,

"Coming!" The doot opened a few moments later and it was Bulma.

"Come on in, guys." Bulma said, turning and walking farther into the room. Rose, would you flip the switch next to the door? I didn't realize it was so dark in here."

"Sure." Rose said as she flipped the switch. As the light came on, people jumped up from behind furniture and yelled,

"SURPRISE!"

"Oh!" Rose said, smiling, even though her heart was racing.

"Good surprise, huh?" Tom asked, smiling from ear to ear.

"Yes. You even surprised one of the kids. They kicked."

"One of them? Are you having twins?" Bulma asked.

"No. Triplets."

"Two boys and a girl." Tom said, his grin getting even bigger.

"No wonder you grew so fast!" Gohan exclaimed.

"Yeah." Rose said, finally looking around. She saw both sets of her grandparents, Tom's mother Mary, Krillin, 18, her great uncle Goten, Bulma, Vegeta, and their two kids, Trunks and Bulla. In the doorway from the living room to the kitchen head a nammer that said,

CONGRATULATIONS, ROSE!!

As the party wore on, Rose enjpyed herself. She walked around and talked to each person. After probably about an hour and a half, Bulma caught everyone's attention.

"Hey, guy, it's time for the presents! Come over here and open your presents, mommy." Bulma joked. Everyone laughed as Rose sat on the couch. The gifts came in both pink and blue, some people getting one thing of each color.

"Thank you, everyone. This is more than I expected." Rose said when she was sone opening the gifts.

"Hey, if we had known there was going to be three, we would have gotten somethng for each one." Krillin said later as everyone was leaving.

"We can provide what we lack, if anything." Tom said, shaking his hand.

"Well, good luck. I thought it was hectic with just one." 18 said.

"We'll manage." Rose answered. "Miranda told us she had three sets of twins, all one year apart."

"Yeah. But it seems she failed to mention she was pregnant again."

"Oh, man. She said she wanted a big family." Tom said.

"Yeah, as big a family as possible. Well, me and 18 better get going. Marrion tends to worry if we don't get home by eleven. I think she's worried that we're going to get Alzhimer's while we're out and forget our way back home." This made all four of them laugh.

"You'll be at the graduation, won't you?" Rose asked.

"Yeah. It's not for another four months, it it?"

"Yeah, but you never know when we're going to see each other again."

"That's true. Well, see ya when we see ya." Krillin saidm closing his eyes and smiling. Rose stood by the door and thanked each person for their gift as they left. When Mary walked up, she gave Rose a hug.

"I had a feeling it was more than one. I would have been happy with just one, but if you want to go all out with it..." Mary trailed off, smiling.

"Hey, if I want to do something, I want to do it right." Rose said with a smile in her eyes and a laugh on her lips. "Me and Tom were both surprised to hear there were three. I wonder if the boys will be identical?" Rose thought aloud.

"Don't know. Only one way to find out." Chi chi said as she, Goku, Gohan, and Videl all walked up.

"Yep. I want to thank you all for your gifts."

"No problem. What kind of pregnancy is it without a baby shower?" Videl asked.

"Well, I didn't want to bother anyone. I knew me and Tom would have bought all we needed. We done what mom had done. We started a savings account for a baby. Two, actually. One for college, the other for things we would need for a baby."

"Now that's thinking ahead." Mary said.

"When did you start it?" Gohan asked.

"A couple of months before graduation, right after Tom proposed to me."

"Smart, isn't she?" Tom asked, walking up behind Rose and putting his arm around her.

"Sure is." Goku said. He looked around and then said, "Where's Goten?"

"He left a little while ago." Rose said.

"Oh, ok."

"Speaking of leaving, we need to get going. I put on a slow-cook roast before we left, and I wasnt to make sure it hasn't burnt. Even though this big lug would eat it anyway." Chi chi said, playfully hitting Goku in the stomach. Goku smiled, closed his eyes, then rubbed the back of his head, laughing the whole time. The group left, which left Bulma, Rose, and Tom. Vegeta, Trunks, and Bulla had already drifted off and went back to whatever it they had been doing before the party.

Tom had began to carry presents down to the car. Rose had asked if he wanted help, but he had said no. Rose went to talk to Bulma while Tom loaded up the car.

"This party was a great idea. It's about time you come see me." Bulma said with a smile. Time had served as a friend to Bulma. She didn't really look her age. She looked to be 20 years younger than she really was. Thign was, Rose couldn't remember how old she was. Even so, Bulma was just as pretty as she had been the day Rose had met her thirteen years ago.

"Yeah. I think the kids really liked it. They got their first taste of cake."

"Now they're hooked. You don't eat many sweets, do you?" Bulma asked, who was cutting the rest of the cake, about a quarter of a sheet, and was putting it on plates for Rose and Tom to take home.

"I haven't had a sweet tooth since before I got pregnant. I've been craving cheeseburgers and fries, though."

"Well, at least it's something you like, right?"

"Yeah. Tom, will we have enough room for this leftover food? This will save us from cooking for a while." Rose said as Tom had come back in from loading the last of the gifts in the car.

"Yeah." Tom said as he stacked a couple of the plates on each other, making sure the cake was on top. There were a couple plates left, so Rose grabbed them.

"Thank you so much, Bumla. You really didn't have to do this for me." Rose said as Bulma walked them out to their car.

"It was Tom's idea. He had even come up with the menu. and bought everything needed. I just fixed it and provided a place."

"Still, thank you." Rose said as Tom took the plates from her. She turned back and hugged Bulma as best she could, with her stomach in the way. Rose turned to get into the car, Tom already having the passenger side door open for her, and then turned back to look at Bulma.

"Take care of yourself. Do whatever it was that Miranda told you to do so we can all see a healthy set of triplets, deal?" Bulma asked.

"Sure." Rose said, getting into the car. Bulma shut the door as Tom went around the car and got in.

"Tom, make sure she takes care of herself. You take care of yourself, too. We need daddy to be just as healthy as mommy." Bulma said, whi had bent down to look at Tom through Rose's window.

"We'll make sure to take care of each other. Isn't that what the wedding vows said? I'd say we're doing a pretty good job at it so far." Tom said.

"You sure are. Be careful on the way home. If I don't see you before, I'll see you at the graduation, Rose."

"I'll try to visit before then."

"Good. Bye, guys!" Rose heard Bulma called as the car pulled away. Rose waved out the window as Tome gave three short blows on the horn. As they rode, Rose took off her sandles.

"Tom, how can you love someone that's fat with swollen ankles so much?"

"One, you're not fat. You're carrying my, our, children. Two, I'll love you swollen ankles or no." Tom said as they pulled into the drive. Rose had made him let her help carry things inside. He did, but only the food and the lighter gifts. They had transformed Rose's study, upstairs and next to their bedroom, into the nursery. They got the gifts upstairs and the food put away and decided to get ready for bed.

"Tom, we still need names." Rose said from through their connecting bathroom door while she washed her face, as she did every night before bed.

"We do, don't we?" He asked, walking to the doorway.

"Yep. I want to name the girl. You can name one of the boys, and then we'll both come up for a name for the other boy.

"Ok. Sounds good to me. Do you have a name for the girl?"

"Yes." Rose said as she finished up.

"What are you going to name her?"

"Rebecca Lynn. What about you. What do you want?"

"I want Adan Ray to be the first born son."

"I like it. Now, what about the other boy?"

"Well, we agreed that we each get one name. What name do you like?" Tom asked, turning down the covers on the bed. Rose thought for a few moments and then said,

"Keith. I've always liked that name.What about you? What name do you want?"

"Micheal. Mom had almost named me that, and I really like how it sounds."

"Hmmm. Keith and Micheal, Micheal and Keith. Micheal Keith. I like that." Rose said, putting her feet under the covers.

"So do I. Micheal Keith it is, then." Tom said.

"Since I don't have class tomorrow, I want to go into town and get a baby crib. Rebecca should have her own, being a girl and all."

"Ok. We'll have to change the spare bedroom into one of the kids' rooms later and we can move the washer and dryer into the basement and change the laundry room into a bedroom, too. It was a spare bedroom to begin with, anyway."

"Yeah. That'll do great." Rose said softly. She hadn't realized that she was so tired. Right before she fell asleep, she felt Tom's lips lightly cover hers and she smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Rose was standing in front of her full-length mirror, wearing her cap and gown. She had to get three sizes bigger than she would have had to had she not been pregnant. Tom came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, resting flat palms on her stomach.

"Look at me. I look like I'm wearing a red bedsheet that's being held together with a zipper!" Rose said, look at her and Tom's refelctions in the mirror.

"You're still beautiful. Bedsheet sized gown or not." Tom said.

"That's easy for you to say. You're not the one wearing this thing."

"That's true, but- Hey! One kicked!" Tom exclaimed.

"They've been kicking more and more. The boys are strong."

"Are you sure one of those harder kicks aren't Rebecca?"

"I know where Rebecca's at, and she never kicks me all that hard. She kicks just hard enough to feel it."

"I see. We better get going. We're going to be late if we don't.

"You look so good in your cap and gown, Rose!" Katrina, the only friend Rose had made in college, said.

"Thanks, but I feel as big as a whale."

"You have a good reason, though."

"I guess so."

"I have good news!" Katrina cried, her eyes lighting up.

"What?"

"Scott asked me to marry him last night!"

"Oh my gosh! You said yes, right?" Rose asked. Katrina had veen with Scott for three years before Rose had met her.

"Of course! He said he would have asked me a long time ago, but he wanted to make it the greatest graduation present I ever got."

"Not much can top that."

"But I got something to match it."

"What?"

"I'm pregnant! I'm going to tell him later tonight."

"You are? That's great!" Rose cried. Katrina had told her once that she wanted a baby from Scott, them being married or not.

"Ok, people! Get ready! Walk-in is in two minutes!" Dean Masaka saod. Walk-in went just as practiced and the ceramony was great. About half way through the ceramony, Rose began to feel uncomfortable, as if she were having cramps.

It was dull and constant. The Dean finished his speech and called names for diplomas. The cramps had gotten a little worse and she had to force a smile for the superinendant while she shook his hand. After what seemed like forever, all the names were called.

"I present to you, this year's graduating class!" The Dean cried. All the students stood and threw their caps into the air. Just as Rose cause hers, she felt something trickle down her theigh. It's time, was the the first thought that came to her.

"Katrina." Rose gasped, finding her friend in the throng of people.

"Rose, what's wrong?" Katrina asked, steadying Rose as she swayed on her feet.

"They're coming. I need you to help me find Tom."

"Ok. Scott, come help me find Rose's husband. She's went into labor." Katrina said. Scott was tall with red hair and blue eyes. His eyes stood out because they were the exact same shade as the cloudless sky above them.

"You know, they have really good timing. Give me your gown and I'll return it for you." Scott said. Rose removed the gown and handed it to him.

"If they had waited any longer, I would say you have burst." Scott commented.

"I feel like I could." Rose said, another cramp coming on. Contractions. That's what I was having through the ceramony, Rose thought. Tom took one look at her and said,

"What's wrong, Rose?"

"She's went into labor." Katrina said.

"What? Are you sure?" Tom asked. Rose looked up at him and said,

"I'm pretty sure, Tom." through gritted teeth.

"Ok. Mom," Tom said, turning his attention to his left, "take the house key and grab the duffle bag right by the door. Then go into the downstairs study and grab the video camera off my desk."

"Tom, they aren't going to wait for much longer." Rose growled through her pain. His surprised look told her she had his attention. "We need to leave. NOW. Unless you want me to have these children right here on this football field." Rose practically screamed. It wasn't all that often she got snappy with Tom, so he knew better than to cross her.

"Ok, ok. We're going. Mom, met us at the hospital. Well everyone they're on their way!" Tom said as he had to practically run to keep up with Rose.

"I haven't felt this much pain in years." Rose was telling her grandmother, Videl.

"I know it hurts, but it's worth it. Believe me. I know." Videl said with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess you do. I was told I'd be brought a pain killer over an hour ago." Rose said as she felt another contraction.

"I'll go see about it." Tom said. It looked to Rose that he was relieved to leave the room. She didn't blame him. This was the worst contraction yet. This one actaully had her crying.

"They better get here soon." Rose said through tears and gritted teeth. She didn't know how much longer she could take this pain. She had already been there for three hours. Tom entered a few minutes later with a doctor hwo administered an IV of pain medication of some sort for Rose. The doctor stayed until Rose a little more comfortable. Once she was back to a level of pain she could tolerate, the doctor said,

"As you can tell, this medication doesn't compeltely kill the pain. This IV is self-administer. This means that when the medication isn't working anymore, you can turn this," the doctor said, pointing to a dial-like spout on the bag. "and the drip will become mroe steady. Let me warn you, this medication and become addictive if abused. Only turn the dial if you can no longer tolerate the pain. Only turn it until you notice the speed of the liquid has increased. That should be enough."

"Thank you, doctor." Tom said as he began to leave.

"No problem. I know how it can be. I have three children of my own. I hated having to see my wife in pain." The doctor gave Rose a wamt and encouraging smile and then left the room. About 15 minutes later, Rose's administered doctor came in to see how she was doing.

"Ok, they're ready, Rose. Is your family going be here while you deliever?"

"If they want to." Rose said, looking up at Videl and Tom.

"Of course. I'm going to be the one to tape it." Videl said.

"And I'm staying by your side." Tom said.

"Ok. I'll go get what's needed and we'll get started."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Ok, Rose, push." The doctor said. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Ok, breathe. you're doing great, Rose." Now Rose knew why women said that child birth was the most wonderful, and horrible, thing a woman could go through.

"Alright. Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

"Push." As the doctor counted, Rose thought, I'm never getting pregnant again. "Breathe."

"Are you ok, Rose?" Tom asked, right beside her as he had promised he would be. She wanted to scream at him and tell him that it was all his fault, but then she realized it was partially her fault.

"I'm fine." Rose said, forcing a smile.

"One more time, Rose. The head has crowned. Once more should do." The doctor said. Thank God, Rose thought. She pushed, but the shoulders had just fell short of passing through the birth canal.

"This is the last puch for this one, Rose. You can do it, honey." Videl said, holding the camera. All Rose could do was force a smile and nod. She felt as if she were dying. Is this what it meant that the closest a woman could come to dying without actually dying was childbirth?

"And push." The doctor said. She only got to five when Rose had a pressure relieve itself and then heard a baby cry. She looked up to see the doctor holding it up. It's a boy."

"Adan." Rose whispered with smile.

"Adan? Middle name?" The nurse next to her asked.

"Ray." Tom said.

"Ok, Rose. Are you ready for the next one?" The doctor asked.

"Yes, but I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Rose asked with a smile.

"Nope." The doctor said with a smile. "Ok, push." This one took juat about the same amount of time as Adan.

"Girl."

"That's Rebecca Lynn." Rose told the nurse. "The last one is a boy, and his name is going to be Micheal Keith."

"Ok. Push, Rose." No matter how much Rose pushed, she couldn't feel Micheal move. After the fifth push Rose said,

"He's not moving ."

"Ok. We're going to have to go to C-section if he doesn't move with this push, Rose."

"C-section?"

"It's where we cut the womb open and deliever that way."

"Ok."

"Ready?"

"Yes."

"Push." Just as the doctor counted to ten, Rose felt Michael move.

"He moved." Rose said as she caught her breath.

"Yes. The head has crowned. Whoa." Just as the doctor said that, Rose felt Micheal move more. "Ok, let's help him out a little. Go ahead and push." Rose pushed with all her might and felt Micheal's shoulders pass through, then the rest of him. He didn't cry immeaditly, which alarmed Rose a little.

"Is he alright?" she asked. She heard a smack and then heard crying. Rose had never felt so relieved as whn she heard Micheal's first cry. Then she heard his brother and sister join in with him. Rose put her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes. The thing she heard was,

"Heart rate dropping. I need another nurse in here, stat!"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Rose awoke to Tom sitting to her right, asleep in his chair, leaning on the bed for support. The memory of him proposing to her in this very hopital came flooding baack to her. She remembered that his reaction to her saying yeas was that he jumped up and ran into the hall screaming, "She said yes!" She lightly place her hand in his hair and he jumped, saying,

"Rose! You're ok. Thank God!"

"How are the kids?"

"They're fine. Beautiful as you are."

"I want to see them." Rose said. She threw the covers off her legs and stood. If Tom hadn't been so quick in moving to the left side of the bed, she would have been on the floor.

"You have to be careful, Rose."

"What exactlly happened, Tom?" Rose asked.

"You almost died. Get back into bed. They're keeping you overnight for observation. I can get the children brought in here from the nursery. They told me to inform them when you came to and felt better so that the kids could have a feeding."

"Ok." She had almost died? Then it all came flooding back to her. She was wondering why the doctor was calling for another nurse. Rose also remembered hearing all three of her children crying at once. Tom and two nurses came in a few minutes later, each pushing a little cart that held one of her children. Micheal and Adan both wore blue caps while Rebecca wore pink. Fist to be fed was Micheal. He fed easily, and Rose smiled the whole time, seeing her youngest for the first time since he was born. Next was Rebecca's turn.

"She looks just like her mother." Tom said. Rebecca opened her big blue eyes to look up at her mother and father. After she was fed, it was next Adan's turn. As Rose fed him, the nurses were taking notes. Probably to see if I really wanted them, Rose thought. Of course I want them. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have gotten pregnant in the first place. After the feedings were over, the older nurse said,

"We'll leave them in here for a bit. Please, come fine us when you're ready for them to go back to the nursery."

"Ok, thanks." Tom said as the nurses left the room.

"Tom, look at them. They're beautiful. I can't believe they came from us." Just as Rose suspected, the boys were identical. They had the same shade of brown hair as their father and Rose's blue eyes. Rebecca looked like her mother in every way possible. They evenhad the same little birthmark right behind their left ear.

"This is amazing, Tom. She looks like me in every way. Even the birthmark!"

"I know. It's uncanny. She's going to be just as beautiful as you are." Tom said.

"Probably more." Rose said. She yawned and Tom said,

"I think the children should go back to the nursery and you should get some rest."

"Ok." Tom went to get the two nurses and then they took the triplets back to the nursery. Rose sat thinking about how beautiful they really were. Tom came back to the room a few minutes later and said,

"Is everything alright? Do you need me to go get you some pain medication or anything?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Ok, if you do, don't hesitate to tell me."

"I'll tell either you or a nurse. I promise. Tom, are you going to go home tonight?"

"I'll stay, if you want me to."

"No. Go home. I'll be fine. This isn't the first time I've been in the hospital."

"Maybe so, but it's the first time you've have children.

"I'll be fine. Just go on home, and you can back in the morning."

"Ok. I'll see you in the morning, then." Tom said, kissing Rose's forehead.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The kids had been home for about six weeks and Rose and Tom were taking them on their first outting, besides to Tom's mother's and Rose's grandparents' hosues. It was a nice late spring day and Rose was glad to be getting out of the house.

Rose was driving and glanced at the kids in the rearview mirror. Adan and Rebecca were sleeping, while Micheal seemed to have noticed that he was being watched. and caught his mother's eyes in the mirror.

"Hi, Micheal, are you amazed by what you see out your window?" Rose always talked to them as if they could understand. She thought maybe it would help them develop bigger vocabularies as they grew. Tom looked back and Micheal and smiled.

"Hey, big fella." Micheal may have been the youngest of the three, but he was the biggest. Micheal smiled at the sound of his father's voice. He seemed to favor Tom more, which Rose thought was good. A few minutes later, they arrived at a small parking lot that led to a path in the woods. As they took the sleeping babies from the car, Micheal finally deciding to fall asleep, someone was walking up the path toward them. It was Goten.

"Hey, uncle Goten!" Rose called when she realized who it was.

"Hi, Rose. So this is my new niece and nephews, huh?"

"That's right. Do you think that you could take this basket?" Tom asked. Everyone agreed to bring a couple of things to the picnic.

"Sure." As they walked to the picnic spot, Rose asked,

"Goten, are you ever going to give these kids any cousins, with you being married for a year now?"

"I sure am. In fact, I just found out last night that Courtney is pregnant."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We're both really excited."

"That's great! You'll make a great father, uncle Goten."

"I hope so." Goten said as they came up to a clearing. The whole gang was there. Rose felt all her memories flood back from the picnic she had went to after she had gotten out of the hospital when she was 10. She smiled and looked at a large oak tree on the left side of the clearing. Last time she was here, she could have sworn she had seen her mother, even though she was dead. Rose smiled and thought, now you have grandchildren, mom. You would love them.

"You're still alive!" Rose was brought back to the present by Bulma's voice. "You look great!"

"Physically only." Rose said with a smile as she set the diaper bag down. Goten spread out the blacket they had brought the Rose set Adan's pumpkin seat down on it, Tom following suit with Rebecca and Micheal.

"They're so cute! Rebecca looks just like you, Rose!" Bulma excalimed.

"I know. The boys are identical, But I've never seen twins so different from each other." Rose sat on the blankets and leaned back on her hands. Tom sat right behind her and she leaned into him. A few minutes later, Krillin, 18, and Miranda came into the clearing.

"Miranda!" Rose said joyfully, surprised to see her.

"Hey, Rose let me see those kids I watched over for about 8 months. Are they going to come back to me since they're over their collic?"

"Sure are. They really seem to like you, anyway. They cried when they went to see Dr. Sento." Miranda sat and Rose leaned up. "You're starting to show, Miranda."

"Sure am. I think it's twins again. I heard one of them gave you trouble while delievering?"

"Yes. Micheal. Nothing that a little time and good hospital personell couldn't fix."

"Good to hear. They look really healthy, for being a month early. Multiples are usually early, anyway."

"Yeah. They were defenitly worth the time, though." Rose said, looking at them. Rebecca opened her eyes and then started to cry, which woke the boys for a few seconds, but they fell back asleep.

"It's ok, Rebecca. Daddy's here for you." Tom said, picking her up as Rose got into the diaper bag for a bottle. As Tom fed Rebecca, Rose got out two other bottles.

"The boys'll be up in about fifteen minutes for theirs. They always want to eat after Rebecca is done. And it's right after she's done, too." Sure enough, just as Tom sat Rebecca on the blanket and gave her a pacifer, the boys woke up and began to cry. Rose fed Micheal and Tom fed Adan as they all talked and laughed. Rose hadn't had so much fun since the surprise baby shower. Goku and Chi chi were the last to arrive.

"We would have been here sooner, but this big lug just had to see some tiger cubs." Chi chi said as she sat.

"What? It was time for them to be born and I wanted to make sure the mother was ok."

"Grandpa Goku, you have a heart of gold, you know that?" Rose asked.

"He sure does. How are my new grandchildren doing?" Chi chi asked.

"Great. They just got done eating."

"Do we get to eat now, too? I'm starving." Goku said.

"You're always starving." Chi chi joked. The food was set out and they all started eating. Rose got to catch up on everything and have a good time. She'd been a little stressed, considering she had been trying to keep the children comfortable while they had their collic. Tom and Rose stayed until the sun had began to set. As they got ready to leave, Videl walked with them to the car. After Rose had gotten Micheal into the car, she lightly shut the door and turned to hug her grandmother.

"Rose, I went and got the results to my tests from last week." Videl had told her she had some tests done, but not what they had been for.

"How did they turn out?"

"Not so good." Videl said. Tom had closed the trunk and came back around the car.

"What do you mean?" Rose said, feeling her knees go a little weak.

"Rose, I have a brain tumor."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Tom had to catch Rose so she wouldn't fall. Had she heard her grandmother right? If so, how could that be? She was such a healthy woman.

"Did they catch it in time?" Rose asked.

"Yes. I start chemo next week."

"Why so soon?"

"The sooner the better. If it shrinks enough, they'll be able to surgically remove it."

"Good. You have great-grandchildren to watch grow up."

"I know. I'm fighting this all I can for them. And for you, too. You've had a lot happen to you in your life. You don't need to lose anyone tragically again. Besides, I want to die an old woman, and I'm not there, yet." Videl said with a smile.

"You will keep us updated, right?" Tom asked, who still had an arm around Rose's waist, just in case.

"Oh, yes. Don't worry about that." Rose broke out of Tom's arm into the arms of Gohan, who had walked up behind Videl, and burst into tears.

"You watch over grandma." Rose said when she was able to talk.

"Don't worry. You that medical science has come a long way. Look at what happened to you just six weeks ago."

"That's different, you know that."

"Rose, you have to trust the doctors in what they're doing."

"It's just so hard to believe." Rose said softly.

"I know." Gohan said, smoothing her hair. Rose heard Rebecca start to cry in the car.

"Rose, we need to go." Tom said.

"Does anyone else know?" Rose asked.

"Pan was the first we told, then Goku and Chi chi. We thought maybe you and Tom could tell Mary." Videl explained.

"Sure." Tom said, who was checking to make sure Rebecca was alright. Rose hugged her grandmother and then walked around to the passenger side of the car. She gave her grandparents a smile and then got into the car. Videl waved while they backed out, and Rose waved back.

"I can't believe this." Rose said, looking down at the floorboard.

"They caught it early. Everything should be fine."

"But there's always the chance that the tumor won't react to the chemo."

"Look at the positive."

"You don't look at just one side of a coin, Tom." Rose said. She wiped a few stray tears from her cheeks.

"That's true, but you can only look at one side at a time." Tom reasoned.

"You're right. I'll try to look at the positive side until we get results of the chemo." Rose said, forcing a smile, even though her heart was aching for her grandmother. When they got home, they put the kids to bed and went back downtstairs.

"They really are well-behaved. I've heard of some kids doing nothing but crying while they're in public." Tom commented when they were sat down in the living room.

"I know. They only cried to be fed that one time and when they needed a diaper change. You could tell they loved the attention they were getting. Did you see how much Micheal smiled today? He really favors you."

"I know. Rebecca seems to favor you. I think Adan loves us both the same." Tom said.

"I know. I'm going to apply at West City Elementary next week."

"Oh, good. I know that's where you wanted to work."

"Yeah. That's where I went to elementary school before I moved n with grandma and grandpa."

"Most of our class went to Pepper Town Elementary, then switched over to West City in Junior High."

"Really? I had left right before the school burned."

"Good timing."

"Sure was. I'm tired. Don't you have classes tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I better get to bed, too." Tom said, getting up. Rose grabbed the baby monitor just as she heard one of the boys start to cry.

"I've got it. You just go up and go to bed." Tom said, heading to the kitchen for bottles.

"I love you, Tom."

"More than you know." Came his usual reply.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Rebecca and her brothers were already five years old, and she knew they were about to enter school.

"Are you guys ready to start school next week?" Rebecca heard her mother ask. She had been so absorbed in drawing her rabbit that she had almost missed the question.

"Yes." Came her brother's replies.

"No." Rebecca said, picking up the black crayon to color her rabbit with.

"Why not, Rebecca?" Her mom asked.

"Who will stay with grandma if we go to school? Besides, I won't know anyone there."

"Grandma will be find and you'll make new friends."

"No I won't. None of those kids are like me. How can I make new friends if none of them are like me?" By now, she was done coloring the rabbit and she was reaching for the red for it's eye.

"They don't have to be exactlly like you, Rebecca. All friends have their differences."

"I still don't want to." Rebecca said as she sat down her red crayon. She picked up her paper to admire her rabbit.

"I'm sorry, but you have to. It's the law that you go to school."

"Fine. But I know I'm not going to like it." Rebecca said, getting out of her chair. She walked over to a cabinet and pulled open a drawer. She looked at the array of odds and ends the drawer held. Siccors, glue, old papers, even some old knives.

"Rebecca, what are you doing?" Rose asked, not even looking up.

"Just getting some tape to hang my bunny up in my room." Rebecca said, reaching into the drawer while looking at her mother.

"Oww!" Rebecca cried, pulling her hand out of the drawer. She looked down at her hand and saw the blood flowing. It didn't really hurt, but the blood was coming fast.

"Rebecca!" She heard, her concentration now broken from her bleeding hand to her almost panicing mother, who had some how appeared next to her like magic.

"I'm bleeding." Rebecca said simply, still a little stunned by the events that had occured. Rebecca heard a gasp and looked up to see her father, who had just returned from work. Before she could even say hi, Rebecca was rushed to the sink, her hand put under the faucet. As the water flowed over her hand, she looked at the deep cut. It amazed her, even though it hurt. She looked at the gash on the top of her hand, then looked at her father.

"Tom, do you think it needs stitches?" Rose asked.

"What are stitches?" Rebecca heard Adan ask.

"Stitches are what you get when you get a big cut that a bandaid can't fix." Rose said, moving over to her eldest and dropping down to his level.

"Will Rebecca need them?" Adan asked. I hope not, Rebecca thought. They sound like they hurt. Rebecca had her hand removed from under the running water and then had a clean wash cloth pressed against it.

"No, Rebecca won't need them. I can bandage it up. That's why I'm a doctor, remember?" Tom said with a smile as he took Rebecca into the downstairs bathroom. He took the first aid kit they left in there, along with one in the upstairs bathroom, his office, and the kids' bedroom.

"Rose, don't let me forget to get a first aid kit for the kitchen."

"Alright."

"Rebecca, how did this happen?"

"I was getting the tape from the drawer when I felt the kinfe cut me. It only hurt for a second."

"Haven't we told you never to get into that drawer?"

"Yes."

"Rose, why did you let her get into that drawer? Did she do it before you realized it?"

"Yes. We'll have to leave the tape in a different spot if the kids want it." Rose said as she helped bandage the cut.

"Maybe she deserved it." Micheal said.

"And why would she deserve it, Micheal?" Rose asked softly, who had turned to her youngest.

"Well, everything happens for a reason, right? Then she might have done something bad that you don't know about."

"Rebecca? Have you done anything bad?" Tom asked as they call came back into the living room.

"I stole a cookie last week." Rebecca said relucntently.

"From where?" Rose asked, remembering that Rebecca had went with her to the store a couple of days before.

"The cookie jar. I know you said I couldn't have one, but you got those yummie frosted oatmeal kind."

"Well, it's bad that you disobeyed me, but if it was from our own cookie jar, then that's ok." Rose said. "Well, since this conflict has been resolved, I'm going to clean up the kitchen and get started on dinner. You kids can go play. I'll find you when dinner's ready. Don't go outside, ok?"

"Ok, mom." Adan said. As the three set course upstairs, Micheal asked Rebecca,

"Didn't it hurt?"

"Only when it first cut me and when daddy put the cold water on it." When they got into their room, Rebecca went straight to the toybox and got her marker set out. She hated just the white of her bandage, so she got out her two favorite colors and started to decorate her bandage just as she had a thought. She grabbed her two markers and walked over to her brothers. As they played cars, she sat in the space between them.

"We're playing race. Wanna play?" Micheal asked.

"In a minute. Remember that TV show we watched and the girl broke her arm?"

"Yeah. What about it?" Adan asked.

"I want you to sign my bandage, just like the girl's friends did on her cast." Rebecca explained.

"Ok." Micheal said, taking the red marker. Rebecca handed Adan the black marker. It hurt a litte, but Rebecca was glad to have some color on her bandage.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

It was the triplets tenth birthday and they were sitting down for breakfast. Rebecca was glad their birthday fell on a Saturday, cause now she didn't have to get up early on the one day she really didn't want to. She was the last to sit at the table. She saw that Micheal had chosen a huge ham and cheese omelet for his birthday breakfast and Adan had chosen a huge plate of biscuts and gravy, which Tom was also eating.

"What would you like for breakfast, Rebecca?" She heard her mother say as she sat.

"Pancakes and sasuage. We have syrup, right?"

"Yes. You can get it out while I cook if you like."

"Ok." Rebecca said, getting up and walking to the refridgerator.

"Ok. I'm off to work. I'll be home early today." Rebecca heard her father say while she grabbed the syrup and headed back to the table. Why did he have to go to work on their birthday?

"Daddy, do you have to go?" Rebecca said as he gave her a goodbye hug.

"Yes, I do. Don't worry, though. I'm getting off early, remember?" he asked as he pulled away.

"Yes. I love you, Daddy." Rebecca said as her mother sat her plate in front of her.

"I love you, too, sweetie. I'll see you later, Rose. Do you have everything straightened out for later?"

"Sure do. Everything should go smoothly." she said.

"Rebecca," Adan said as their father left and their mother went to cooking her own breakfast.

"What, Adan?" Rebecca asled, practically drowning her breakfast in syrup.

"What do you think mom and dad were talking about?"

"No telling. Think it has anything to do with us not having a birthday party this year?"

"I bet not. Mom told me that we couldn't afford a party this year." Micheal said.

"That's right, Micheal." Rose said as she sat with her breakfast. "But I will take you to see grandma and grandpa."

"Mom, are they your grandparents, too?" Rebecca asked.

"Yes. That means they are your great-grandparents. I wish you could have met your great-great-grandparents. You would have loved them."

"Really? What were their names?" Adan asked.

"Goku and Chi chi."

"May I be excused?" Micheal asked.

"Yes. Don't get your clothes dirty. We're going to grandma's at two. Thats goes for you two, also." Rose said.

"Ok." Rebecca and Adan said. Soon, Adan left the table and it was just Rebecca and her mother. They ate in silence for a few minutes and then Rebecca asked,

"Why couldn't you afford a party this year?"

"We just had things come up, that's all. That's why me and daddy decided that we would take you to grandma and grandpa's instead. You never get to see them anymore."

"I know. I miss staying with them during the day."

"You like school though, right?"

"Oh, yes. School is so much fun."

"And you have Becky."

"Yeah." Rebecca said, finishing her breakfast. "May I be excused?"

"Yes you may. Put your plate in the sink, ok?"

"Ok." Rose done as her mother asked and then headed upstairs. Just as she came to the phone in the hallway it rang. She picked it up and said,

"Hello?"

"Rebecca?"

"Hi, grandma. Mom says we're going to your hosue later."

"That's right. Happy Birthday. Can I speak to your mom?"

"Sure. Just a second." Rebecca said as she carried the cordless phone to her mother and said,

"It's grandma." Rose took the phone and said,

"Hi, grandma...What's wrong?...Relapse? But it's been ten years...More chemo? Why?...Is that so?...So, if it responds, it can be removed?...Good...Yeah, we'll be out at two...Take it easy...I love you, too, grandma...Bye." Rose said as she hung up the phone. Rebecca looked up at her mother and asked,

"Mom, what's a relapse?"

"A relapse is when something comes back. It's used mostly to explain cancer."

"Grandma has cancer? What's that?" Rebecca asked.

"Cancer is to much growth of a cell in the body. Sometimes the cells are bad."

"Where's grandma's cancer at?"

"In her brain."

"Will she be ok?"

"I think so." Rose said. It actually hurt to tell Rebecca about something to terrible at such a young age, but Rose always promised to tell her children the truth.

"Well, as long as grandma's gonna be ok, there's nothing to worry about, right?" Rebecca asked.

"Right. You're so smart, Rebecca." Rose said, smiling down at her daughter.

"What's chemo? Is it medicine?"

"Some types of chemo are. Some are treatments."

"What kind is grandma getting?"

"A little of both."

"Oh. Do you want me to the phone up on my way upstairs?"

"Sure. Thank you, Rebecca."

"You're welcome. I love you, mom."

"I love you, too, Rebecca."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

At one-thirty, Rebecca got dressed to go to her grat-grandparents' house. She dressed in her favorite dress, which was purple and she called her teacher's dress. It was a one piece dress that fell to her ankels and reminded her of a tube make of cloth. She looked in her show caddy and got her got her lavender and plum colored flip-flops to wear.

She then went into her parents' bathroom and found her mother's makeup. She often watched her mother put on makeup and her mother had even put some on her every once in a while. Rebecca took her mother's foundation and opened it. She put some on and smeared it into her cheek. She then doen the same thing for the rest of her face. She got the stuff her mother put on her eyelashes and opened it up. Rebecca took one look at it and decided not to use it. She put the lid back on it and put it back. Next, she took out her mom's eyeshadow and looked at all the colors. Rebecca remembered that her mother always used colors that matched her clothes.

Rebecca saw a pretty lavender color and tool an applicator and applied some. She didn't put a lot. She was told that only grils that tried hard to be pretty wore a lot of makeup. She didn't want to try that hard to be pretty. She just wanted to be pretty like her mom. Just as she ws putting the eyeshadow away she heard,

"Rebecca!" It was her father, who was home from work.

"Do I look like mom?" Tom laughed and nodded.

"Of course. Let's go show her." He said. They went downstairs to find Rose making potato salad.

"Look, mom, I look like you, now." Rebecca said as she walked up. Rose turned around looked down at Rebecca.

"You sure do. Did daddy help you?"

"No. I done it all on my own."

"Really?" Rose asked, looking up at Tom.

"Yeah. Just as I walked into our bathroom, she had put up the eyeshadow." Tom said.

"You done very well, Rebecca. You wanted to look good for grandma, didn't you?"

"Yes. Especially if she's sick."

"She's sick?" Tom said, his features hardening a little.

"Yeah. She had what mom calls a relapse."

"She had a relapse?"

"Yes. She's going to have chemo again." Rose explained. "They said it was only a small spot. The chemo should shrink it."

"Good. Well, we better get ready. I'm going to put the stuff in the car. Rebecca, go pack a bag for an overnight, ok?"

"Do the boys need to, too?"

"Nope." This was the first time she was going to go to grandma's house overnight all by herself. She ran upstairs and grabbed a small duffle bag she used as an overnight bag. She grabbed a night gown, a pair of pants, and a nice shirt. She put them in her bag and then grabbed her hair tie and ran down stairs. She went to her mother, who was standing in the living room.

"Mom, will you braid my hair for me?" Rebecca asked, holding up her brush and hair tie.

"Sure. But this hair tie doesn't match your outfit. I'll get one that does. Be right back."

"Ok." Rebecca said as she sat down her bag. The boys came downstairs and saw her bag.

"Where are you going?" Adan asked.

"To grandma's. I get to stay the night."

"We're staying at grandma's tonight?"

"No. Just me. Daddy said so." Rebecca said. Rose came back in and started to crush Rebecca's hair. She had gotten two ponytail holders, so she first put her hair up in a high ponytail and then braided it.

"Put your brush in your bag and then we can go." Rose said.

"Ok." Rebecca said excitedly. The boys gave her jealous looks as they climbed into the car.

"Don't worry, boys. There'll be a night when just you two stay, ok?" Rose said.

"Ok." They agreed reluctently.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Rebecca heard as she and her brothers entered the house. She caught her breath for a second as her heart sped up. She looked around adn saw all kinds of people. The one that caught her eye for the second was Becky. Had she known? Rebecca didn't care. She ran to her friend and said,

"You know where my grandma lives?"

"I do now. How's this for a party? I found out you were having a party two weeks ago. It was really hard not to tell you." Rebecca looked around and saw that Micheal's best friend Jacob was there, and so was Adan's best friend Tristen. All six kids got together to say hello, then the set of friends went to play together.

After an hour or so, the kids began to get hungry. They went to find some food when the triplets saw a table that was full of presents.

"Those are for later." Rose said from behind them.

"Ok. Mom, we're hungry." Rebecca said.

"There's food in the kitchen."

"Let's go, guys." Rebecca said. As they stepped into the kitchen, they saw a tall green man. He had large, pointy ears and was wearing a purple outfit with a white cape.

"Hey, guys. Happy Bir-" Was all they heard as they all ran from the kitchen and went to find their mom.

"Mom!" Adan cried as they found her.

"What is it, kids?" She asked, dropping down to their level. She had been talking to a blond-headed woman, who looked down at them as they talked.

"Mom, there's a tall green man with pointy ears in the kitchen. Is he sick? Does he need to see daddy?" Rebecca asked.

"No. He's fine. He's of a different race called Namieks. His name is Piccolo. I hope tht you weren't rude to him."

"We never even said anything to him." Micheal said. Just as he said that, Piccolo walked up to them.

"Hey, Piccolo. I hope the kids weren't rude to you."

"Not at all. I was going to say happy birthday, but they ran away. They have a lot of potential, Rose You should let them train." Piccolo said.

"Mom, what's potential?" Micheal asked, looking interested.

"Potential is what you have inside you, but haven't found yet."

"I wanna find it!" Rebecca cried. "I want to know what my potential is!"

"I'll talk to daddy about it tonight, ok?"

"Ok! Come on, Becky, let's go find our potential." Rebecca saoid to her friend, who had just walked up. They were going to go into the kitchen and grab something to eat when they ran into Gohan.

"Happy birthday, Rebecca! Hi there. How are you today? Are you the friend that's staying here with Rebecca tonight?"

"What? You're staying here tonight?" Rebecca asked.

"Yeah. I was told I get to stay the night."

"That's why daddy had me pack an overnight bag!"

"Let's go get something to eat." Becky said.

"Ok."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

It was later that evening and everyone was leaving. Rebecca was saying goodbye to her brothers for the night. This would be her first time ast grandma's house without them.

"Bye, guys. Have fun, ok?" Rebecca said to her brothers.

"Of course we will. Jacob and Tristen are coming over." Micheal said.

"Oh, yeah."

"Time to go, boys. Say bye to your sister."

"Bye, sis!" Adan said, turning toget into the car with Tristen.

"Bye, Adan."

"Bye, Rebecca. See ya tomorrow." Micheal said, climbing into the car after Jacob.

"Bye, Micheal."

"Bye, Becca." Tom said. That was his nickname for her, and he was the only one allowed to use it.

"Bye, daddy." Rebecca said, giving her father a hug.

"Bye, Rebecca. You be good for grandma, understand?"

"Yes, mom." Rebecca said, understanding that her mother was talking about her great-grandmother's illness. She got the impression that her mother didn't want Rebecca to say anything about it in front of Becky. "Bye, mom." Rebecca said, giving her mother ahug. She stepped back and her mother climbed into the car.

Rebecca and Becky walked into the house and into the kitchen. Rebecca saw her great-great-grandmother, Videl, putting the left over food away. Remembering what her mother had told her earlier, Rebecca walked up and said,

"Grandma, do you need any help?"

"No, it's fine, honey. You and Becky can go back to your room."

"Ok. Becky, the room is down the hall, second room on the left. I'm going to round us up some snacks and then I'll be back there."

"Ok." Becky said, grabbing a duffle bag from the far corner and then walked from the room. When Rebecca was sure that Becky was out of earshot, she turned to her grandmother.

"This is about more than just snacks, isn't it? Videl asked.

"Yes. Mom told me about your relapse and your chemo therapy."

"I see. Well, you are old enough to understand now. I noticed you were careful about keeping it from Becky. Are you ashamed of having family with cancer?"

"No. Family business is familt business. No one can understand how a family feels at a time like this other than family."

"Very true. You are very smart. Your parents are very smart, too. Thank you for keeping this a family problem. As for the snacks," Videl said, turning to the refridgeorator, "here's some sodas and some snakc cakes. I have popcorn if you want that later. And I have more soda and things if you run out. We told Becky's parents the she would call whe she's readt to go home tomorrow."

"Grandma, I want you to know that whatever happens, I love you."

"And I'll always love you, too." Videl said.

"You better get back to Becky, she's going to wonder where you to." Videl said.

"Right." Rebecca said, going to the kitchen door and running straight into Gohan. She fumbled the snacks and sodas, but caught them before they could fall to the floor.

"Good catch."

"Yeah. I've got good reflexes." She saw Gohan give Videl a look and said, "well, I better get back to Becky."

"Go ahead. I'll see you in the morning."

"Ok. 'Night, grandpa! I love you!" Rebecca called as she walked away toward her bedroom.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Mom, grandma's on the phone." Rebecca said as she handed the phone to her mother. Rebecca went back up to her room where she had been reading a book Becky had given her after the the birthday party about a month before. It was the most interesting book she had ever read in her life.

It talked about different faiths and the things they worshiped. She read of Christianity, Wiccain, even Buddisim. The one that caught her eye was Satanism. How could someone worship something that would torture you for all eternity? The book stated that some people followed the fashion, but not the faith. The book sported color pictures that shoed girls wearing black clothes with black combat boots. Their faces were painted white and they wore black eyeshadow, black eyeliner, black mascara, and one had on ruby red lipstick. This really interested Rebecca.

She was looking at the pictures of the girls when her mother came in.

"Whatcha got?"

"A book Becky gave me for my birthday. It's about different religions. Mom, why do some people worship Satan? Isn't he bad?"

"Yes, he is. Some people just think it's the right thing to do. What do you think? Do you think they're right?"

"Well, that's not for me to judge, is it? I mean, just because they believe different then I do doesn't mean that they're less of a person that me."

"Very good answer."

"Mom, I like the way these girls are dressed." Rebecca said, showing her mother the book.

"Well, I might let you try it one day. I like that you're learning about different religions while you're still young. I think it's healthy. I came in to tell you that grandma's going to start chemo tomorrow."

"Why did they wait so long?"

"It was dormant and it wasn't growing. It just recently started growing again."

"Oh. How long will it last?"

"About six weeks. After it's all done, they may be able to remove the tumor."

"But I thought she had cancer?"

"A tumor is a type of cancer."

"Oh."

"Well, I'll let you get back to your reading."

"Thanks, mom."

"For what?"

"For letting my try that clothing style."

"No problem." As her mother left the room, Rebecca wondereed what she would look like with her face white and her lips blood red.

A few weeks later, her wish came true. She went to the mall with her mother and bout a new outfit and dacepaint. They went back home and her mother helped her get the makeup on.She looked in the mirror and instantly hared it.

"It doesn't look good on me." Rebecca said, walking to the sink and washing the makeup off.

"If you don't like it, then it's not for you." Rose said, actually relieved.

"Nope, guess not." Rebecca said, "At least I got a new outfit out of it."

"Yeah, that's true. I'm going to go get started on dinner."

"Ok." Rebecca finished washing off her face and went to talk to her brother. She knocked on Adan's door and waited until he said she could come in.

"Hey, Adan, how's your homework coming?"

"I'm having trouble with this language. Do you think you could help me?"

"Sure." Rebecca said as she pulled up an extra chair. They were almost done when they heard,

"Time for dinenr!" They got up and went downstairs. For the first time that week, their father was home for dinner. Since it was starting to warm up, there were lots of people coming into the doctor's office from the weather changing.

"Hi, daddy." Rebecca said as she sat down on her side of the table. The boys sat across from her and her parents on either side.

"Hey, Becca. I had a baby come in today. She was about six months old. You would have really liked her."

"I bet so." Rebecca said. Rebecca always liked hearing about what happened at her father's office. She knew he couldn't tell her about what the appointments were, but she didn't mind.Halfway through dinner, Rose said,

"Ok, kids. Me and your father have been talking about it, and we've decieded to tell you about your great-great-grandpa."

"What is it?" Micheal asked.

"Well, he wasn't really human."

"What? How's that possible?" Adan asked.

"He was from a whole different planet."

"So, you're saying he was an alien?" Rebecca asked. Was he green, like Piccolo, Rose thought.

"Was he green?" Micheal asked, seeming to read Rebecca's mind.

"No." Rose said, laughing. "He was from a race called the Sayains. Seeing as you are a fraction of this, you have powers."

"I knew we were different!" Micheal cried, seemingly happy.

"Yes, we are. All except your father, that it."

"What? Why not?" Adan asked.

"Your father is full human."

"Is that true, daddy?" Rebecca asked, looking up at the only man, along with grandpa Gohan, that she adored.

"It sure is." Suddenly, it hit her.

"Mom, that's what you meant by potential!"

"Yes. Very good, Rebecca. The reason we decided to tell you this is because me and your father want you to train. As soon as school lets out, then we'll begin your training."

"We have to wait all the way until May?" Micheal asked, looking upset about it.

"Yes. And you must keep your grades up. If you don't raise them, Micheal, you will not be allowed to train this summer." Rose said. Rebecca knew Micheal was failing most of his classes. She always offered to help, but he always refused it.

"What! Why?"

"Because training is a privilage, not a given. Me and your father haven't trained since we were in high school."

"And? Just cause you haven't trained for years doesn't mean that you can keep us from doing it."

"That's not the point and you know it, Micheal." Their father growled. "You will never speak to your mother like that again, is that understood?" Non of them had ever heard their father talk like that to them before.

"Y-yes, sir." Micheal said.

"Good." Tom said, his usual smile appearing again. "Now, about your grades. You done so well last year." Took a bite of his mashed potatoes and then said,

"Do you need some extra help, son?"

"Well, I think it's just I hate homework."

"Have Rebecca help you. She helps me." Adan said.

"If I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it on my own."

"Ok. If you think it's the best way. The only reason I'm doing so well is because I get help from Rebecca." Adan said.

"Yeah, I'll be glad to-"

"I said no!" Micheal cut in. Without being excused, Micheal got up and left the room.

"Did I do something wrong?" Rebecca asked.

"Of course not. You guys just eat. I'll see about Micheal." Tom said. Rebecca looked to her mother for support. Rose smiled and continued eating, tryong to encourge her children to follow suit. Adan continued eating, who had always had a good appetite. Rebecca ate, but still couldn't help thinking the she had caused Micheal's angry outburst.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The summer came, and along with it came the triplets' training. Micheal had broken down and allowed Rebecca to help him with his schoolwork so he would be able to train with them. Rebecca loved the training. She thought it was fun sparring with her mother, father, or siblings. She felt herself getting stronger by the day. Then, near the end of the summer, their father had an announcment.

"Ok, kids. Me and your mom think you're ready for the next level of your training."

"What's that?" Micheal asked.

"We're going to take you to a training room."

"How long will we stay?" Adan asked.

"A year a piece."

"A year! But what about school?" Rebecca asked.

"Don't worry, Becca. It's a year in the room, but only a day out here." Tom answered.

"How is that possible? Is it another demension? Adan asked.

"Yes, actually, it is." All were stunned into silence. How many people know this room exists, Rebecca thought.

"Only us and close family friends know about this room." Rose said, seeming to read Rebecca's mind.

"What about grandpa?" Adan asked. Their grandmother Videl had passed away at the begining of the summer, the chemo treatment not helping her.

"Yes."

"Did grandma?" Rebecca ventured. This was the first time anyone mentioned her since her passing.

"Yes, she did. I think she had only been in once, though."

"If you go in, how many times will it be?"

"This will be my third time. My first time in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, that's what it's called, was when I was ten. My second time I went with your father at the age of 18, and now makes three."

"This is going to be fun!" Rebecca cried.

"That's the spirit." Tom said. "What about you boys? Are you ready to go to the next level?"

"Sure." Adan said.

"You bet." Micheal replied.

"We start tomorrow. Rebecca, you and me are going in together, Micheal, you and your father are going in together, and Adan, you're going in with grandpa Gohan." Rose said with a smile.

"Sounds good to me." Adan said.

"Fine with me." Micheal agreed.

"I can't wait." Rebecca said.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"It's almost time for Adan and grandpa to come out." Rebecca said. That means we're next, she thought. Micheal and Tom had went first, then Adan and Gohan. Rebecca's mother wanted to go last. She couldn't wait to go in. Micheal had explained it to her, but she wanted to see it for herself.

"It is, isn't it? You seem really excited about this."

"Yeah. I want to see this room and also see what you can teach me while we're in there." Rebecca said.

"You were always a curious one. Also a fast learner." Rose said as they heard a door open. Rebecca turned quickly to watch her brother and great-grandfather exit the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. They emerged and Rebecca walked up to them.

"Was it fun?"

"Sure was. It was awesome. Grandpa is a great teacher." Adan said.

"I just taught you what my father taught me."

"Was grandpa Goku nice?" Rebecca asked.

"Sure was. He didn't hurt anything unless he was threatened or it was an accident." Gohan explained.

"Time to go in." Rose said as she walked up behind her daughter.

"Ok. I'll see you in a year." Rebecca told Adan.

"See ya tomorrow." Adan said with a smile as Rebecca and their mother enetered the room. They entered and the room shut behind them. Rebecca couldn't believe her eyes. The quarters were the first thing that you walked into. On the far side of the room, there was an open space in the wall, serving as a door, leading to white nothingness. On either side of the door leading to the infinte space was a huge hourglass.

"Mom! This is amazing! Are those hourglasses for the time?"

"Yes. If you ever wonder how much more time we have, just look at the hourglasses."

"Ok."

"Let's get started." Rose said, heading toward the white space."

"O-out there?" Rebecca asked.

"Yes. There's no need to be scared. We'll stay in sight of this room when we're out here, don't worry."

"Ok." Rebecca saod. She trusted her mother more than anything on earth. They walked out of the room and flew up a couple hundred feet. They trained like they always had, when suddenly, Rose went all out. Rebecca was quick to respond to the flurry of punches that she was recieving.

Rebecca was dodging contantly, trying to figure out what she was going to do. She kept dodging and kept dodging until she saw her mother let up a little. That's when she attacked. She shot in during a slow moment and tried to gain the upper hand. It took a few minutes, but she finally got her mother dodging her blows.

As the training wore on, she continued to find more of her mother's weak points. She noticed that her mother would pepper punches for a while and then she would slow up for a few seconds. If someone were fast enough, they would get the upper hand quickly.

Eventually, Rose caught Rebecca's hands and looked into her eyes. She never knew her daughter to give such a steely gaze, as if she were mad. Much to Rose's surprise, Rebecca jerked her hands away and said,

"I thought we were training, not having a staring contest." Rose had been told that Rebecca was very fierce when she trained, much like Vegeta while he was still alive.

"You're right, we are." Rose said as she brought her knee up and trapped Rebecca's stomach, but only enough to let her know she knew what she was doing. "Never underestimate your opponet. It could cost you dearly." Rose said, landing. Rebecca just floated there for a few moments, thinking over what had just happened.

Mom's good, Rebecca thought. She could have easily hurt me, but she didn't. What stopped her? Me being her daughter? Pity? Some other emotion? I'm going to make sure she doesn't go easy on me next time. Just cause I'm ten doesn't mean that she has to go easy. Or is it that I'm a girl? I bet the boys didn't get treated this way.

I'm not going to let her do that, Rebecca thought as she landed.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

A few months later, Rose was training with Rebecca again. The more Rebecca trained, the more she learned. Today's the day I show her she doesn't have to go soft on me, Rebecca thought. Training started as it usually did. As training wore on, Rebecca slowly gained ground, even though she knew her mother was letting it happen.

Before she could give it a second thought, Rbecca shot under her mother's fists and grabbed her in a hug. The moment her mother stopped, Rebecca shot back and began to throw punches. Rose caught on quickly and then began to block. Rebecca flew to the ground, landed, and looked up at her mother, willing her to land. She caught the drift because she landed in front of her a few seconds later.

"Very good trick, Rebecca, but it's going to take more than that to catch me off guard. Now let's see you get around this." Rose said. Rebecca couldn't believe her eyes. The air around her mother was moving as if there were a vapor around her. As suddenly as that occured, Rose started to run toward her. Before she could do anything, Rebecca was knocked to the floor and she went skidding for a good fifty feet. Rebecca heard her mother running toward her, saying,

"Rebecca, honey, I'm so sorry." Rebecca saw it as a chance. Seeing as she had landed on her stomach, she was therefore facing her mother. As she stopped before her, Rebecca quickly reached out and grabbed her mother's ankles, jerking hard. This made Rose lose her balance and she fell to the fround. As this happened, Rebecca jumped and said,

"We've come this far, why be sorry now?"

"You're becoming light on your feet, so to speak." Rose said with a chuckle, getting to her feet. "You want it that way? Fine, you got it," and flew toward her. Rebecca just stoof there. Just as Rose got to her, she fell flat to the floor and laid there for a second, then jumped up, turning to face her mother. She had laneded and was looking at her. They faced off for a few seconds, then both went in, throwing punches. Rebecca was enjoying it. The more she focused, the better she got. After what seemed like only maybe about 20 minutes, Rose stopped. She landed and walked into the living quarters.

This upset Rebecca. I was finally getting into the groove and then she quits on me, Rebecca thought. Suddenly, to Rebecca's surprise, Rose came flying out of the living quarters and up at her. All Rebecca done was stay there. Her mother caught her in a hug and then flew straight to the ground.

What's she doing, Rebecca thought in a small panic. Just before they reached the ground, Rose stopped and became parallel with the ground. She had Rebecca pulled up against her body and now reached down and laid Rebecca on her back on the floor. Rebecca looked up at her mother's face as it broke out into a smile.

"Gotcha!" Rose cried as she flew back out of reach with a laugh. Rebecca couldn't believe it. Her mother had tricked her. She looked back up to see that Rose had stopped and was looking down at her.

"You're not the only one with tricks." Rose said, the smile still on her face. By this time, Rebecca was back on her feet.

"You are SO going to pay for that!" Rebecca said with a laugh in her voice and a smile on her lips. She flew into the air, after her mother, who just stayed in the same spot right above her.

As Rebecca passed her, she grabbed her mother's hands from behind her own back, came up and arched over her head, then landed on her mother's shoulders, straddeling the back of her neck. They both laughed and Rose landed. She carried Rebecca into the living quarters and said,

"That was pretty good. I didn't expect that. You're becoming stronger and faster. That's very good. We've made a lot of progess in only a few months. We've been free-sparring for the past coupld days. I've been wanting to see what you had." Rebecca never knew that she was getting better. She just thought that she was having fun. She looked up at the clock and realized it had been a solid 3 hours. Then she felt her stomach growl.

"Mom, I'm hungry."

"So am I. We done a lot today. Let's get started on dinner."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"It's time to go, Rebecca." Rebecca heard her mother say. Rebecca instantly became excited. She couldn't wit to see her brothers again. It had been a year since she had last seen them. Well, only a day to them. In a way, she wanted to stay and keep training, but she knew she couldn't. She loved spending time with her mother.

"You can go first." Rebecca told her mother. Would she feel different when she left? She knew she would feel lighter. The gravity was heavier in the Time Chamber. She also knew she was a little different. Her hair was longer, she had developed more muscle, and she had also gotten taller.

"Ok. But there's no reason to be scared of leaving the room. Nothing bad will happen."

"It won't? Promise?"

"Promise." Rose said, hugging her only daughter.

"How about we leave together?" Rebecca said.

"Ok. Let's go." Rebecca felt the way the gravity changed as she stepped out the door. She thought it kind of felt like she was going to float away. As they walked out, the first two people she saw were her great-grandfather Gohan and Adan. Just as she began to think that her father and Micheal weren't going to show up, they did.

Rebecca ran up to her brothers and hugged Adan. She knew that Micheal didn't like hugs.

"You look stronger, Rebecca." Adan said, looking at his sister.

"I feel it." Rebecca replied. "Mom wanted to go easy on me, but I wouldn't let her."

"I don't blame you. You don't learn anything if you don't go hardcore on it." Micheal said.

"Good point." Adan said.

"Ready to go home?" Rose said, walking up.

"Yeah. Let's go home." Rebecca said. Afther they arrived, Rebecca went upstairs to her room. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw that her face seemed a little thinner. I must have lost some weight, Rebecca thought. She sat on her bed and thought about her up coming school year. She couldn't wait to go into the fourth grade. The more she thought about it, the more excited she became. Only a few more weeks, she thought.

"Time for dinner!" Rebecca heard. She looked up at her clock and saw it had already been two hours.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The triplets were now 16 and were Juniors in high school. Each one done their own thing, unlike from when they were young and you would never see them apart. Rebecca was in the drama club and was wanting to be an actress, Adan loved playing his guitar and wanted to put a band together, and Micheal liked to skateboard. Adan and Rebecca done very well in their classes, while Micheal still passed, but not as well as his brother and sister.

"Micheal, we need someone that can skate for out next play. There's no lines for you, you're just an extra in the background. It might help you become pro." Rebecca was saying one night at dinner.

"Sure, why not? Will I need to be at rehersals?"

"I'll find out."

"Ok."

"It's so nice to see yhat you want to help your sister, Micheal." Rose said.

"She's my sister. Of course I'll help." Micheal said to his mother. He liked the idea of being in the play. Like Rebecca said, it might let him be discovered. Lots of people said he had a lot of talent, and he thought if a lot of people were saying it, then it must be true. Besides, it would be interesting to see the people's faces when they see how he skates. Dinenr ended and Rebecca went back upstairs to her, Micheal following her.

"Yes, Micheal?" Rebecca asked, turning to her younger brother.

"Do you think you could help me with my homework?"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I'm lagging in History."

"Ok. Go get your stuff." It wasn't that she didn't want to help him, it's just that she wanted to practice her lines for the play. She had gotten the lead female lead and only had a month left to learn the lines. Besides, Micheal never usually asked for help, and it had surprised her a little. Micheal returned and they worked on the history. The more Rebecca explained, the more Micheal seemed to understand.

"I'd be better off with you being my teacher." Micheal said.

"Thanks, I guess." They finally finished the homework and went about their own ways. Rebecca took out her lines to practive, but her mind decided to wander. There was suppose to be a new student coming the next day, and Rebecca wondered who it would be. She caught herself about fifteen minutes later and then made herself focus on her lines.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Rebecca walked into drama class the next day to find a guy, about her age, sitting in her chair. She was usually the first person to drama class, and she looked at her watch. She was actually early. As people filtered in, they began to talk in whispers. She heard a girl say,

"Isn't that the new guy?"

"Yeah. I heard he was cute. I wish he would look up." Rebecca stood there untill just about time for the tardy bell to ring and then walked to her seat.

"Umm, you're in my seat." Rebecca said quietly.

"Oh, excuse me." The guy said, looking up at her. The first thing Rebecca noticed was his sky blue eyes and how well they went with his light blonde hair. They looked at each other for a couple of seconds and then he stood.

"Is this one taken?" He said, pointing to the chair to the right of her.

"No." Rebecca said, sitting down. He's going to sit next to me? But no one ever sits next to me, Rebecca thought as he sat.

"Name's Jacob. All my friends call me Elite.:

"Rebecca. Why do they call you Elite?"

"Ok, class. Let's get started."

"Wait for me after class and I'll explain." Elite whispered. As class wore on, Rebecca noticed that the girls would look back and give her nasty looks. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the bell rang. She wanted to leave right then, but Elite had asked her to wait.

"You know what?" Elite said, gathering his things.

"What?" Rebecca asked, watching people walk out of the classroom.

"I've noticed that we have all the same classes."

"We do?"

"Yeah. Government, Algebra, Science, Language, Study Hall, Drama. What class do you have next?"

"Art."

"So do I!"

"Then why haven't I noticed you?" Rebecca said, stopping at her locker. She was still getting looks from girls as they passed by. When Becky moved while they were in sixth grade, Rebecca never made the effort to make any new friends. No one ever paid any attention to her anymore, and the attention she was getting she didn't want.

"You never look around the room. You seem to become absorbed in what the teacher is saying."

"Let's just say I like to learn." Rebecca said, shutting her locker door and looking at her watch.

"What's wrong?"

"The bell's about to ring. Let's go." Rebecca grabbed Elite's hand and practically flew up to the art room.

"You move pretty fast." Elite said as Rebeca took her seat in the back of the room, Elite taking the chair next to her. There was a short lecture by the teacher then the students began to work.

"You never explained why all your friends call you Elite." Rebecca said, continuing to work on her project.

"I'm the best at everything I do. School, work, I even skateboard."

"I have a brother that skates."

"Really? Older or younger?"

"Younger by about ten minutes."

"Twins?"

"Triplets."

"Really?"

"Yeah. The boys are identical."

"If the boys look alike, who do you look like?"

"Exactlly like my mother. Some of the teachers have even called me by her name because she went to high school here her Senior year."

"Rose? I mean, Rebecca?"

"See? Yes, Ms. Tanawaki?"

"I was wondering if I could enter your last project into an art show I'm attending this weekend."

"Of course. Go right ahead."

"Thank you. I've noticed that you're talkative today."

"Well, she's helping me understand the school system here some." Elite said.

"That's very nice of you, Rebecca."

"Ms. Tanawaki?" Rebecca heard across the room.

"Excuse me." Ms. Tanawaki said, leaving to go see what the student wanted.

"Art show, huh? What was the project?"

"That self-portrait sculpture over there." Rebecca said, nodding to the corner in the right front of the room.

"That's really good, Rebecca. How long did it take?"

"About a month."

"You really are good."

"I try the best I can."

"Well, it seems like I have some competition."

"Huh?"

"Well, I was the best at my old school, and you seem to be the best here."

"As if. As you can tell, I'm pretty much ignored around here." They chatted as class wore on and before Rebecca realized it, the bell rang. She put her project away and then headed out the door.

"Which way do you live?" Elite asked. Rebecca just about jumped out of her skin because she didn't know he had followed her. Before she could answer him, she heard Adan say from her right,

"Rebecca! Over here!"

"Hey, guys! I usually walk with my brothers." Rebecca said to Elite as they walked toward the boys.

"Hey, they really are identical."

"Yeah. You should come over and say hi."

"Sure." As they walked up to the boys, Rebecca said,

"This is Jacob, guys. He's new."

"Call me Elite. Hey, cool board."

"Thanks. Took me forever to save up for it."

"I bet."

"Want to walk with us?" Rebecca asked.

"Which way do you guys live?"

"Out to the east. We walk to the elementary school cause out mom works there." Rebecca explained.

"Oh, well, I live the opposite way, so, I'll catch you tomorrow, ok?"

"Sure. Bye." Rebecca said as she and the boys started on their way.

"See ya!" As the triplets walked Rebecca became lost in her own thoughs. She couldn't believe that someone actually talked to her.

"Rebecca?" She heard Micheal say.

"You just about gave me a heart attack, Micheal. What do you want?"

"I asked who that guy was."

"He's a new student. He happened to get the exact same schedule I have."

"That's neat." Adan said.

"Yeah. He's pretty cool."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

A few weeks later, Rebecca was sittin down in drama class when she realized that Elite wasn't there. He usually came in just a little after she did. Right before the bell rang, he shot into the classroom and sat in his seat just as it began to ring.

"Where were you?"

"I had to go take care of something."

"Oh, ok."

"Ok, it's time to start. Let's go to the gym." Mrs. Anikasa said. They had been practicing for the play for the past week or so, and it had been going really well. Rebecca really hadted telling Micheal that the skating had been taken out, but he didn't seem to mind all that much.

"What are we practicing?" Elite asked as they walked up to the stage in the back of the gym.

"We're practicing the school dance scene first." Mrs. Anikasa said. Rebecca knew the scene well. She practiced that one the most at home. The last male lead ended up moving, and Elite had ended up with the part.

"Ok, Jacob. You stand over here and wait for the cue." Mrs. Anikasa said. She had walked him over to the far right of the stage and then walked over to Rebecca. "You wait on the other side, ok?"

"Alright." Rebecca walked over to her side of the stage and waited. Mrs. Anikasa walked backstage and started up a song. It was one that had just recently became popular, but was school appropiate. Rebecca looked across the stage at Elite, who was looking past her for his cue. Just as the singer started singing, the students that were extras started dancing to the song. Rebecca made it look as if she were getting something to drink.

"Move. I was here first." Danny, who was playing the school bully, said. Rebecca pretended to stumble and almost fall onto a table. As Danny and his posse went by her, they each pushed her. The last one was suppose to push her hard enough to spill her drink on herself. She turned and glared at him.

"Hey, looks like the drinks are on you." Zach laughed.

"Hey, leave her alone." Rebecca heard Elite say. He really sounded as if he were trying to protect her.

"You going to make me?" Zach asked.

"You wanna find out?" Elite asked as Sara, who was playing a teacher, walked up.

"You got off easy this time, Derick. You won't next time."

"We'll see about that, Jake." Elite said as the boys walked off. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, sure."

"You're new here, right?"

"Yeah. Wet, too." Rebecca said with a smile, acting like she picked up a napkin and was attempting to dry herself off.

"Forget about that. You wanna dance?"

"Sure." As Elite took her hand, she felt little bolts of electicity pass through her hand and up her arm. Just as Elite took her into his arms to start dancing, Mrs. Anikasa came out and said,

"That was pretty good, guys. Let's go to a different scene." Rebecca was disappointed, but didn't show it. They practiced a couple more scenes before the bell rang.

"That was really good, guys. Don't forget to practice at home. Oh, one more thing. We had to move the date of the play. It'll be in Janurary."

"But that's another three months away!" Rebecca heard from behind her.

"That's just more time to practice, that's all. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Come on, let's go." Elite said, grabbing Rebecca by the wrist. As they left the room, Rebecca asked,

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Come on."

"But the art room is out this way."

"But I'm not going to art."

"Are you asking me to skip class?"

"Haven't you ever done it?"

"No."

"We won't even leave campus, I promise."

"I don't know..."

"Come on. Live a little. You gotta have fun sometime, right?"

"I guess so. If I get in trouble, you're going down with me."

"Cross my heart. Come on. I know one of the buildings that aren't used anymore, but it's still unlocked." As Elite took her to the building, she recognized it as the old gym.

"This was the gym when I was in elementary school."

"It was?"

"Yeah. They built the new gym with the stage and they decided not use this one anymore."

"Oh. I noticed you seemed a little disappointed when Mrs. Anikasa said we should move to another scene."

"Oh." Rebecca said, blushing deep red. Elite laughed and said,

"It's alright. I have a question. When I took your hand for that scene, did you feel electricity, or was it just me?"

"You felt it, too?" Rebecca asked, looking up quickly.

"Of course. I have actually never been happier to go to school more than when I started here. I saw you and thought all my dreams had come true."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Elite said, closing the distance between them. It took her by surprise how quickly he moved, and she was even more surprised when her kissed her. She had never been kissed before, considering her shy and quiet nature. She had never known that a kiss would feel like this. Just as she leaned into the kiss, a bell rang.

Rebecca practically jumped out of her skin at the sound, breaking away from Elite at the same time. She looked into his face to see if she could read some kind of emotion there, but there were no signs to read.

"Guess we oughta go. Ill walk you out to the fron of the school so you can walk with your brothers."

"Walk with us today." Rebecca said, not wanting to think of him leaving yet.

"I can't. I have to get home." Elite said as they reached Rebecca's locker.

"Ok. See about walking with us tomorrow."

"It'll come at a price." Elite said with a smile.

"What kind of price?" Rebecca asked, kind of hoping it was another kiss.

"One date. On Saturday."

"Deal." Rebecca said as she and Elite stopped in front of Micheal and Adan. Just as Rebecca stuck her hand out, Adan pushed it down and said,

"Deal to what?"

"Adan, this is between me and Elite."

"Deal to what?" Adan asked once again.

"Just because you're the oldest doesn't mean you have the right to interrogate me." Rebecca snapped.

"Just tell him." Micheal said, looking and sounding just as menacing as his twin brother.

"Deal. I'll give you directions on Friday." Rebecca said to Elite as she turned and left, leaving all three boys to stare after her.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Rebecca, what were you making a deal about?" Adna asked after he and Micheal caught up.

"How many times must I tell you? STAY OUT OF IT!" Rebecca screamed.

"I deserve to know!"

"It's my life, not yours."

"But I feel responsible for you."

"Well, you're not."

"Who lit your fuse?" Micheal asked.

"Oh my gosh! If it'll make you shut up, I'm going on a date on Saturday." Both boys starting laughing and Rebecca stopped.

"I'm sorry, but I could have sworn that you just said that you have a date on Saturday." Micheal said when he could breath again.

"See what I mean? This is what I mean bu not wanting to tell you anything." Rebecca said, hurrying away.

"Rebecca!" she heard Adan call. She just continued to walk.

"Dang, Rebecca! What did you do, fly all the way here?" Micheal said, who was the last to arrive at the elementary school.

"Like you should care?" Rebecca shot at him as they walked into their mother's classroom.

"Hey, now. What's the problem, you guys?"

"It's nothing." Rebecca said, sitting at her mother's desk.

"Rebecca had a date on Saturday." Adan said as he came in.

"Do what? When did you plan this?"

"She done it today." Micheal said.

"Why can't you ever let me tell anything?" Rebecca snapped.

"Will I get to meet him before this date?"

"Yes. He's walking with us tomorrow."

"What!" Adan and Micheal said at the same time.

"Oh, good. That means I'll get to meet him a couple of days before."

"Yes. How were the kids today?" Rebecca said, trying to change the subject.

"They were good. Ok, guys. Let's go." Rose said. After they arrived home, they boys went upstairs and Rebecca went into the kitchen with her mother.

"So, since it's just us," Rose said as she began to take things out of the refridgerator, "tell me about this boy."

"Well, he's only been here for a couple of weeks."

"And he's already made a move?"

"Yeah. We have all the same classes together."

"What does he look like?"

"Tall, sky blue eyes, light blonde hair, and very good looking."

"Really? Do you know what you're going to do on Saturday?"

"No. We haven't talked about that. What really surprised me about him was the he chose me to be his friend, and you know I haven't had any friends since Becky moved."

"I know. You're not high on the popularity list, are you?"

"No, not really." Just then, the phone rang. "I'll get it." Rebecca said. She walked out into the hallway and picked up the phone on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Hello. Would Rose happen to be there?"

"Yes. One moment." Rebecca walked the phone into the kitchen and help ot out to her mother.

"Thanks. Hello?...Julia!...How have you been?...I've been great!...Lunch? Well, tomorrow is a school day, but what about dinner instead? You and Rocky can come by...Really? You have a girl now?...I have three of my own...sixteen. They're triplets...How does eight sound?...Ok, I'll see you around eight...Bye." Rose looked at Rebecca with a look of surprise on her face.

"Who was it?" Rebecca asked as she took the phone from her mother and took it back to it's craddle in the living room.

"That was one of my old classmates."

"A friend?"

"Not at the time. I never told you how I got to know your father, have I?"

"No." Rebecca said, interested.

"Well, as you know, I was homeschool from the age of eight to eighteen. I went to West City High my Senior year. The first person I happened to talk to was Julia. Well, we didn't hit it off all that well. Come to find out, your father was Julia's boyfriend. He was the most popular guy in school, she the most popular girl. He ended up breaking up with her and we ended up dating. Well, before the semester was up, I put Julia in the hospitaland was expelled for it."

"What did you do? Get your GED?" Rebecca asked, finding it hard to believe what she had just heard. How could someone as caring as her mother do a thing such as put someone in the hospital?

"No. They let me do a home schooling program. Grandpa Gohan taught me. He was a proffesor at the college across town."

"Oh, wow. So now you've invited her to dinner tomorrow?"

"Yes. She apoligized sixteen years ago." Rose said as eh prepared dinner.

"That's interesting."

"So, Julia was with dad when you met him?"

"Yes."

"Why did he break up with her?"

"That's a long story." Rebecca couldn't believe all that had been said, and spread, about her mother. And she thought she had it hard with all the stuff she had put up with in school.

"I'm going to get the boys for dinner." Rebecca said as she and her mother finished setting the table. She went upstairs to find the boys doing their homework in Adan's room.

"Time for dinner, guys."

"Ok." Adan said as they closed their books. They got up and followed Rebecca downstairs.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The next day at school, Rebecca and Elite skipped lunch to go to the old gym. As they sat, Elite was talking.

"And I never saw him again." Elite finished saying about his father.

"That's horrible, Elite. Were you popular at your last school?"

"Yeah."

"Aren't you lucky? Adan's popular, and he seems to love it."

"What about Micheal?"

"How many skateboarders do you know that are popular?"

"Pros are."

"Besides them."

"Not many."

"That's what I thought. Are you walking to the elementary school with me today?"

"Yup."

"Oh, good! My mom wants to meet you." Rebecca said. Elite stood and walked over to Rebecca, who was sitting. Rebecca stood as she got to him and she looked up into his eyes and he kissed her.

The bell rang to end lunch and Rebecca jumped. She blushed and looked down at her feet.

"There's no need to be embrassed. Come on, let's get to class." Elite said, taking her hand.

Rebecca and Elite walked out to meet her brothers at their usual spot after school, but they weren't there.

"They're usually here beofre I am." Rebecca said.

"Well, do you want to wait for them?"

"Yeah. Let's see if they show up." The waited for ten minutes before Elite said,

"I don't think they're going to show, Rebecca."

"I guess so. This is the first time I've ever walked without them."

"Well, you can still walk with me."

"Yeah, I guess so." Rebecca said, smiling.

"So, what do you think we should do Saturday?" Elite asked about halfway there.

"Don't know. Surprise me." Rebecca said.

"Ok." They reached the school and went in. They walked into Rebecca's mother's room and the first thin Rebecca noticed was that the boys were already there.

"Why didn't you wait?"

"We thought you wanted to walk with him." Micheal said, nodding toward Elite his arms crossed.

We were planning on walking with you!"

"Yeah. Uh-huh. Really."

"I can't believe you! Do you really think I would make you guys walk by yourselves?"

"Wouldn't surprise me." Micheal said.

"That's it. I'm outta here!"

"Where are you going?" Rebecca heard her mother say.

"I'm waiting outside. Come on, Elite." Rebecca said as she walked out of the room. Rebecca went out to the car and stood beside it.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine. I've never seen them act this way before."

"It'll be alright, Rebecca. Maybe they never liked the idea of you dating."

"I never dated before."

"Maybe that's why. Maybe they don't want your bond to break with them. I mean, you have been there for each other since birth."

"Maybe you're right." Rebecca said, her anger starting to subside.

"Don't worry about it. Let's try focusing on this moment, not what siblings have done." Elite said.

"You know exactlly what to say to make me feel better." Rebecca said, smiling.

"I don't like seeing you upset." A few minutes later, they boys and Rebecca's mother were walking toward them.

"You look like you're feeling better, Rebecca." Rose said.

"Bet I know how." Micheal said under his breath. Rebecca glared at him, silently daring him to say it again.

"Micheal, that's enough." Rose said.

"Don't worry, Rebecca, it doesn't bother me any." Elite said, taking a step forward.

"Elite, no." Rebecca said.

"Elite? That's a nickname, right?" Rose asked. It seemed ti Rebecca as if her mother was trying to avoid a fight, which Rebecca knew was smart.

"Yes, ma'am. My real name is Jacob." Elite said, his face relaxing into a warm smile.

"It's nice to meet you, Jacob. Rebecca says that you two are going to go on a date on Saturday?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Well, as long as you have fun. Let me give you a ride home?"

"Thank you."

"You can sit in the front." Rose said.

"But-" Micheal said. The triplets always look turns riding in the front, and it ws Micheal's turn.

"It's only until we get to Jacob's hosue." Rose cut in.

"Fine." Micheal said, climbing on the back of the car. Adan climbed in the middle and Rebecca got the window on the passenger's side. She went to grab the door to shut it when Elite said,

"Let me get it."

"Ok, thanks." Rebecca said. the ride was silent besides Elite giving directions. They pulled up to the hosue and Rebecca couldn't believe her eyes. The house was huge.

"Very beautiful." Rose said, looking at the house.

"Thanks. I live with my aunt and uncle. I couldn't believe it myself when I first moved here." Elite said with a smile as he opened the door.

"Have a nice day, Jacob." Rose said.

"You, too. See you tomorrow, Rebecca. Bye, guys." Elite said as he got out of the car. Micheal jumped out and ran around to get back in the front seat. As the drove off, Micheal said,

"I don't like him."

"Micheal!" Rebecca cried.

"Me, neither. There's just something about him I don't trust." Adan agreed.

"I can't believe you guys!" Rebecca said. She had never wanted to cty more than that moment.

"Boys, you don't know Jacob that well. Give him a chance. You never know, he may become one of your best friends."

"Yeah, when pigs fly."

"Apparently they do, you can." Rebecca said.

"You wanna say that again?"

"Gladly. Appare-"

"Rebecca." Rose warned.

"He shouldn't have said that!"

"Micheal, not another word to your sister until we get home."

"Fine with me." Micheal said.

"Oh, no! Julia's coming to dinner at eight! Boys, I'm going to drop you off at the house. Rebecca, I want you to come to the store with me, ok?"

"Sure."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Rebecca had jumped into the front seat when Micheal had gotten out of th car. They hd driven out of sight of the house, and then Rose pulled over.

"Here. You can drive back into town." Rose said, putting the car in park.

"Really?" Rebecca asked. Her mother let her drive every once in a while, but never into town. They switched spots and then they were off. Rebecca loved driving, and got better each time she drove. The boys didn't know she got to drive, but Rebecca wasn't going to tell them any different. This was the one thing that she got to do that they didn't.

"What do you think of Elite, mom?" Rebecca asled after a few minutes.

"He seems nice. I don't see why the boys don't trust him."

"Neither do I. I hope they don't drive him away."

"I don't think they will. Jacob seems very protective over you."

"I know. I didn't expect him to do that. You know Micheal would have fought him. Thanks for cutting in."

"No problem." Rose said as Rebecca pulled into the groccery store parking lot. They walked in and went down the vegetable isle.

"What are we after?" Rebecca asked.

"I was thinking pork chops, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and peas with a cheesecake for dessert."

"That sounds pretty good. How many cans of peas?"

"Two."

With the shopping done, they made their way back home. About three-quarters of the way there, Rebecca pulled over and she and her mother switched spots. They got home, brought in the groccieries, and got started on dinner.

"How are you making the pork chops?" Rose asked.

"Baked."

"Good. Not as messy. Good call."

"Thanks." The doorbell rang at seven-thirty and Rebecca heard her father get the door.

"Boys! Come on down! Our company's here!" Rebecca heard her father say and then all was silent. Rebbeca and Rose finished dinner a little before eight and then sat it in the oven to keep warm. They walked into the living room and Rebecca saw a woman sitting on the love seat with her husband. She had blonde hair streaked with silver with large hazel colored eyes.

"Rose, you look great!" Julia said to Rebecca as she sat.

"Oh, you're mistaken. I'm her daughter, Rebecca."

"I'm sorry. You two look so much alike."

"It's fine. Happens all the time." Rebecca said with a smile. Just the, Rebecca heard a gurgling sound. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw a pumpkin seat setting on the floor next to Julia's husband.

"Oh, this is Dawn." Julia said, picking the baby up from the seat. "Our baby sitter got sick, so we had to bring her."

"That's fine. How old is she?"

"Three months."

"She's as beautiful as her mother." Tom said.

"Trying to say something, Tom?" Rose said in a joking tone.

"Oh, no. You found out my secret. I love babies. Can you ever forgive me?" Tom asked in the same joking tone. Everyone laughed and Rose said,

"Well, we need to get into the kitchen unless you like cold pork chops." Rose said witha small chuckle.

"Oh, yum. I use to hate pork chops. until I got pregnant. I craved them." Julia said as they all sat in the kitchen.

"I craved cheeseburgers and fries with the triplets." Rose said as she passed the mashed potatoes to Julia's husband.

"Thanks. Rebecca, I just realized that we haven't properly met yet. My name's Rocky. Me and your dad were friends in high school."

"It's nice to meet you, too." Rebecca said. Dinner went well and then they all went back into the living room.

"How did you guys know that we lived out here? I don't remember telling you on the phone yesterday."

"I remembered reading an article about your grandfather and it said the house had originally been planned to go up for auction when he passed, but then ended up being given to his granddaughter, and I remembered the directions from the last time I was here.

"That was ages ago." Tom said.

"Seems like it." Julia said. They sat and talked for about half an hour longer until the baby started fussing. Rocky looked at his watch and said,

"Julia, it's past Dawn's bedtime. You know how cranky she can get."

"Yeah. We better get going. Rose, it was so nice to see you again. It was nice meeting you, Rebecca. I've noticed one difference between you and your mother."

"Really? What's that?"

"She has white streaks in hers." Julia said with a laugh.

"Ok, Ms. Silver." Rose said with laugh.

"You know I can't call you old without calling myself old, so, I decided not to call you old." Julia said.

"You're right. That's funny, though."

"Yeah. Tell the boys it was nice to meet them. Ok, ok, Dawn, we're going. She's so demanding."

"Like her mother." Tom said, smiling.

"Yep." Julia said. She walked over and gave Rose a hug before she went out the door. Rocky left behind her, shutting the door on his way. Rebecca and her mother went into the kitchen to clean up after the door shut.

"She seems nice." Rebecca said.

"Now she does. She use to hate me with a purple passion."

"Because of dad, right?"

"Yes. Would you blame her?"

"No." Rebecca said after a moment of thought.

"You said you were always called by my name. By who?"

"The art teacher and my math teacher."

"Mr. Sataogi?"

"Yes. And Ms. Tanawaki."

"Mr. Sataogi said he thought there was trouble between me and Julia the first day I was there, but I had said I could handle it."

"You sure did." Rebecca said, smiling. They finished the dishes and then Rebecca went upstairs. Before she forgot, she wrote down the directions to her house on a piece of paper for Elite to find his way there on Saturday. She folded the paper up and then started on her homework. It seemed to take forever, but she finally finished. She was sleepy, but she read over her lines for the play and then went to bed.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Rebecca went to school the next day ready to see Elite. Her mother had dropped her and the boys off at the high school and they walked in.

"Bet you can't wait to see what's-his-face." Adan said.

"Lay off." Rebecca snapped.

"Now, now. No need to get all defensive on me. You've been different lately, Rebecca."

"How?" Rebecca asked as they walked to homeroom, which was the only time they sat in the same classroom together.

"You don't do anything with us anymore. You don't hang out with us in homeroom anymore. And me and Adan know about you skipping art a couple of weeks ago. It's not like you to skip class, Rebecca." Micheal said as they sat, looking concerned.

"How did you find out?" Rebecca asked, surprised.

"Everyone knows, Rebecca. People saw you and Elite go into the old gym. Don't get embrassed when I ask this, but what were you two doing?" Adan asked.

"Oh. We talked the whole hour. They never disconnected the bell system in there so we knew when the hour ended. Don't worry, nothing went on."

"But something had to have happened." Micheal said.

"He kissed me, but that was it. I promise."

"He what?" Adan asked, an angry look crossing his face. Rebecca had never seen her so protective of her.

"Don't worry, it was just a kiss. Adan."

"And it wasn't forced?"

"No."

"If I find out you're lying and he did force a kiss on you..."

"What are you smiling about? Do you want Adan to kill him?" Micheal asked.

"It's not that. It's just i've never seen either of you so protective of me." Adan's face relaxed into a smile.

"Just cause we don't act it doesn't mean that we don't care, Rebecca. I have to be protective over you and Micheal. I'm the oldest, remember?"

"Hey! Only by a couple of minutes!" Rebecca said with a smile. Just then the bell rang. They picked up their bags and headed for the door.

"Hey, guys, since we're in the same hall this hour, why don't you walk with me?" Rebecca asked.

"Sure. Doesn't Elite walk with you since you have all your classes together?" Micheal asked.

"I haven't seen him yet. He's not at my locker." Rebecca said, nodding toward her locker. They reached the locker and she opened it. In it sat a piece of folded paper. Rebecca picked it up and stuck it in her pocket.

"Is it from Elite?" Adan asked.

"Don't know. I'm not going to read it now, though. I'm not going to be late for class."

"But you'll skip art class?" Micheal teased.

"Hey, that was only once." Rebecca protested, smiling. She grabbed her Government book and shut her locker. She started on down the hall, one brother on each side of her. They reached her classroom first.

"Now, Rebecca, don't skip class." Adan said in a mock warning. He and Micheal laughed while Rebecca blushed a deep scarlet.

"See ya later!" The boys called as Rebecca walked into the classroom. As she walked in, everyone looked up at her. She suddenly felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room. She walked across the room and to her seat, feeling as if the students were still staring at her. She opened her book and tried to go over the section for the day, but all she could see were the eyes of her classmates.

The bell rang and the teacher walked in. When Rebecca looked up, she realized it was a sub. He was tall with brown hair. He walked over to the desk and set down the book he was carrying. He walked around the desk and picked up a dry erase marker to write on the board with. As he wrote, he talked.

"My name is Mr. Sanioga and I will be your teacher for today. Since I was left no instructions, you will have a free day. I will not tolerate you being loud. I will give you two warnings. If you do not settle down and I must warn you a third time, then I will assign you homework. This will be noted to your regular techaer, who you will turn the assignment in to.

"I trust you understand these rules and I expect you to follow them. You may move around and talk amongst yourselves or you may choose to use this time as a studyhall." Mr. Sanioga said as he sat and opened his book and began to read. Rebecca looked back down at her book, but she couldn't stay focused.

Suddenly, she felt surrounded and she looked up. All around her stood the girls in the class. The boys had grouped in the back right corner of the room. There were only five girls in the class, including herself, so there was one girl in front of her, one behind her, one to her left, and one to her right.

The girl in front of her was the most popular in their graduating class. Rebecca tried to put on a brave face and said in a much more confident voice than she felt,

"What do you want, Rachel?"

"Is that really the way to greet a classmate? Didn't your mother teach you to be polite?" This made Rose mad. She clinched her teeth and said,

"Don't you dare say another thing about my mother. If you would have had her in elementart school, you would at least know the meaning of the word."

"Say that again and we'll beat the meaning into you." Ashley, Rachel's right-hand girl, said. Rebecca brought her large blue eyes, now darkened with a steely gaze, to the girl on her right and said,

"Promise?"

"Back to why we're even thinking about talking to a piece of trash like you. Jacob doesn't deserve you. He can do much better. He should be with someone like me. How many times have you had to sleep with him to get him to even talk to you?" Rachel said with a laugh, the other three girls laughing with her.

"None. I don't resort to being a slut like you to get people to talk to me." Rebecca said with a face straight enough to make a professional poker player tremble. That cut the girls' laughter short.

"What did you just say?" Ashley said.

"You heard me." Rebecca said, still looking into Rachel's shocked face. "What's wrong, Rachel? Does the truth leave a bitter taste in your mouth?"

"You bi-"

"You better be watching your language, Nichole. You don't want to ruin your miss goody-goody reputation." Rebecca said to the girl behind her, her gaze still on Rachel.

"How could you say something like that? That was completely rude and uncalled for." Sara, who sat on her left, said.

"What? And what Rachel said wasn't rude?" Rebecca said, turning to Sara. At that second Rebecca heard one of the boys say,

"Look out, Rebecca!" Rebecca turned in time to recieve a punch straight in the nose from Ashley. Rebecca felt the blood start to flow from her nose. Apparently Ashley had expected her to grab her nose and start crying or something, because she looked surprised when Rebecca set firey eyes on her.

Rebecca stood, still looking at Ashley. Rebecca took a step toward Ashley, who had stood and taken a step back, causing her to trip over the chair. She had once been sitting in. Rebecca looked down at Ashley, who's eyes were as big as dinner plates. She reached down and grabbed Ashley by the shirt, easily lifting her off the ground, considering she and the boys took the weekends to train.

"HEY!" Rebecca snapped back to reality to see she was holding Ashley up by her shirt. Rebecca let Ashley go, who fell to the floor in a heap, crying. Rebecca looked around and realized where she was. She bowled Rachel over, who had apparently stood sometime while this was going on, and ran out of the room. As the door shut behind her, she heard,

"Hey! Get back here!" Rebecca walked toward the office and the secretary came out and said,

"Rebecca, are you ok? Hey! You can't leave! Come back!" That was the last thing she heard as she walked out the front door.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

As she walked, Rebecca put her hands in her pockets, feeling the piece of paper she had put there earlier that morning. She took the paper from her pocket and opened it. What she read confused her.

I know all about you. I know what you are. Your mother isn't fit to live and neither are you for being part of her.

What did this mean? What did they mean, her mother wasn't fit to live? She put the paper back in her pocket and felt her nose run. She went to wipe her nose with a tissue she usually kept in her pocket and saw it came back bloody. Then she remembered Ashley hitting her in the nose and the whole reason she was walking to the elementary school. I hope she got hurt when I dropped her, Rebecca thought as she reached the elementary school. She went to the rest room to make sure she wasn't still bleeding.

She looked in the mirror and saw she had blood all over her shirt. Great, Rebecca thought as she cleaned herself up, this was one of the best shirts I own. She finished up and left the restroom. She walked down to her mother's room, which was open.

Luckily, the kids weren't in the room. Rebecca looked in to see her mother sitting at her desk. Rebecca just stood there for a few seconds to at how beautiful her mother was, even with the whitish-gray streaks in her mostly jet-black hair. She looked so happy sitting there that Rebecca didn't want to disturb her. Rebecca picked up her hand and tapped on the open door three times with her knuckles. Her mother looked up at her and cried,

"Rebecca! What happened?" Before Rose even finished the sentence, Rebecca was standing in her embrace, crying. Her mother walked her in, closed the door, then wsalked her over to a table and sat her down.

"Rebecca, what happened? Why is there blood all over your shirt?" Rebecca explained what she remembered from the fight.

"What did I do wrong? Do I really come across as a slut?"

"Of course not. Here. Take the extra shirt I leave here and go change. You can use the teacher lounge's restroom across the hall, ok? I've go to go get the kids."

"Ok." Rebecca said, now down to nothing but sniffles. She went and changed into the shirt her mother gave her and it fit her perfectly. She splashed some water on her face and then went back to her mother's classroom.

Rebecca smiled when she walked in to see the kids at their desks. She walked in and they all looked at her. One of the girls' eyes got round and she looked back at Rebecca's mother and asked,

"Mrs. Sanakia, are there two of you?"

"Of course not, Shelia. Boys and girls, this is my daughter Rebecca."

"Hi. Do you like having my mom as a teacher?"

"Yes." Rebecca practically had a choir tell her. Just then a woman came in and Rose said,

"Ok, boys and girls. I want you to be good for Mrs. White, and I'll see you all on Monday."

"Ok. Where are you going?" A little boy asked.

"Rebecca isn't feeling well, and I'm going to take her home and make sure she gets well."

"Don't forget to give her chicken noodle soup." The boy said. This caused both Rebecca and Rose to laugh.

"Thank you for reminding me, Travis. Bye boys and girls."

"Bye, Mrs. Sanakia!" The little chorus of voices said. As Rebecca and Rose walked to the car, Rose said,

"You didn't even sign out, huh? I don't think it'll hurt to miss one day. Let's go home."

"Ok." Rebecca said as she got into the car. She noticed the paper sticking out of her pocket as she put her seatbelt on.

"Mom, I got this note this morning. It was when in my locker when I went to get my Government book." Rebecca said as she handed the paper to her mother.

"Oh, man." Rose said as she folded the note back up.

"What does it mean?"

"There's a lot that could mean. There's actually a lot you don't know, Rebecca."

"Like what?" Rebecca asked as they left the parking lot.

Well, we'll start with this. Remember when I told you that your great-great-grandfather wasn't human?"

"Yeah, he was Saiyan. But what does that have to do with this?"

"Well, the Saiyan race was a warrior race. When I was young, only about eight, me and my mother left my step-father to live with my grandparents."

"You had a step-father?"

"Yes. But he was abusive. He would even beat me for going to the park. We had left because I had finally told my mother that he was hitting me. He stalked me for two years and then kidnapped me. He took me to the summer home he owned and told my mother to come get me.

"When she got there, he killed her. Then he was going to kill me. If it hadn't been for my Saiyan heirtage, I would have died."

"Someone got to you on time."

"No."

"Then what happened?"

"I killed him."

"You what!" Rebecca cried.

"I know it sounds impossible, but I did. Then when I was 18, I was attacked at prom. I was stabbed with a knife and then the man left. That was the very same day your father proposed to me. See these scars?" Rebecca looked at her mother's right arm, which bore the name Gero on it.

"You cut yourself?"

"No. The man that attacked me at prom came out to the hosue and carved that name into my arm. He said if I made a sound, he was going to kill me and then go in and kill everyone in the house. He poisoned the blade to make sure I got sick, even killing me, if he were to get lucky. Later on, me, your father, your grandfathers, and some of their friends found him. One by one, he took us down, until it was only down to me. He didn't kill anyone, but he wanted grandpa Goku."

"Why?"

"Grandpa Goku had all kinds of enemies from the time he was young. I was used as a pawn to lure him out. I also killed this man, whose name was James.

"So, you've killed twice in your life?"

"Yes. But it was kill or be killed."

"This is really hard to believe."

"I know. Let's go inside. Your father should be home on his lunch break."

"Ok." Rebecca said, opening her door and getting out.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Tom! Are you home?"

"Rose! Rebecca! What are you doing home?" Tom asked, surprised. "Is Rebecca sick?"

"No. She had a problem at school and walked out, but that's not the important thing right now. Tom, Rebecca knows everything." As if this were her que, Rebecca imeaditly ran into her father's arms and burst into tears. Her father held her and smoothed her hair until she calmed down.

"Did all those bad things really happen to her, Daddy?"

"Yes, they did, Becca. And I would have done anything for them not to happen."

"Could something be coming for her again? Is there a way to stop it?"

"We're going to have to train. If it's coming after me, it ws probably orginally after grandpa Goku." Rose said.

"What are you talking about?" Rom asked. Rebecca stepped out of her father's embrace and reached into her pocket and handed her father the note.

"I found this in my locker this morning before first hour."

"Is this why you came home?" Tom asked as he finished reading the note. They had all sat down while he was reading.

"No. I got into a fight."

"What? Over what?"

"Elite."

"Who?"

"Jacob." Rose said.

"Oh. So you got into a fight over a boy? Do you really think a boy is worth fighting over, Becca?"

"I was hit first. Look at the shirt I was wearing." Rebecca said, handing her father the now wadded up shirt. He looked at the shirt and then looked at Rebecca.

"Is this your blood?"

"Yes."

"And where did all of it come from?"

"My nose."

"What?"

"I was hit square in the nose. Next thing I know, the sub is yelling at me and I'm holding the girl that hit me in air by her shirt. I dropped her and I left." At just that moment, Tom's pager went off.

"Well, I have to go. Rose, we're going to have to tell the boys know that Becca knows. You guys be careful for the rest of the day, ok?"

"We will, don't worry. We'll see you after work, ok? I love you." Rose said, standing.

"More than you know." Tom replied, giving Rose a kiss.

"If you don't leave now, you might not get to." Rose said, looking up at Tom. Rebecca knew what her mother was talking about, but she acted is if she hadn't heard. That wasn't any of her business.

"Yeah, I better. I'll see you later, Becca."

"Love you, Daddy." Rebecca said as she gave her father a hug.

"Love you, too, sweetheart. Don't worry about that girl. She's not much of a woman if she's going around picking fights about other girls' boyfriends."

"I know."

"Bye." Tom said as he closed the front door behind him.

"Mom, what are we going to do?" Rebecca asked, turning to her mother.

"All we can, sweetie."

"What can we do?"

"Train until something happens. Why did these girls gang up on you?"

"Because Elite wasn't th-"

"What?"

"Looks like out date's canceled now. He wasn't there."

"You can reschedule. Now, tell me more about this confrontation." Rebecca told all there was to tell about the incident and then her mother sat and thought for a moment about it.

"That seems like jealousy to me."

"That's what I'm guessing it is." At that moment, the doorbell rang. Rose got up and answered it. A few moments later she came back and said,

"Come on, Rebecca. We have to get back to the school for a meeting. Bring the shirt as evidence."

"Ok." Rebecca said, grabbing the shirt then heading out the door


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Back at the school, Rebecca and her mother were in the principle's office.

"What happened? You're usually such a good student, like your mother was." Mrs. Vanderbelt said.

"I don't remember anything between the time of me being hit and the sub yelling to get us to stop. I don't even know how much time passed." Rebecca said in her own defense.

"Well, the fall didn't break anything but her ego a little bit. Between the three of us, I think she needed it."

"Well, will Rebecca be suspended?" Rose asked.

"No. If she can't remember what happened, then she can't be held accountable for her actions."

"Really?" Rebecca asked.

"Yes. I've already gotten to talk to the other students. The boys said that Ashley had edged on a fight. One said that he heard her say that she would fight you if you weren't careful."

"Well, it was more like she was going to beat the meaning of a word into me. Did she get in trouble?"

"Yes. She has been suspended for the rest of today and then next week. So that parents can't say that we are playing favorites, we must give you three days of after school detention, ok? This is for leaving school grounds without permission."

"Oh, I understand. I think I can live with that."

"Good. A notice will be sent home that you have to sign, Rose."

"That's fine. Thank you for being so understanding, Mrs. Vanderbelt." Rose said as she stood. "May Rebecca be excused for the rest of the day?"

"Of course." Mrs. Vanderbelt said as she stood.

"Thank you. This means a lot to me. Could you please inform my boys that I'll be back to pick them up after school?" Rose asked as they walked out of the inner office.

"Sure, no problem. It was nice to see you again, Rose, even under these circumstances. Aren't you working at the elementary school?"

"Yes, I am. Kindergarten level."

"That's nice. I always knew you'd go into teaching."

"Yep. Come on, Rebecca. We need to get home."

"Ok. Bye, Mrs. Vanderbelt."

"Monday afternoon, Mr. Sataogi's room."

"Yes, ma'am." Rebecca called as the office door closed behind her.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

This isn't really all that bad, Rebecca thought as she sat in after school detention. It's like having a study hall after school. I can do this for two hours a day for three days. She finished all her homework and was getting out her play script when she heard,

"Ok. Time's up. Have a nice afternoon." Everyone stood and started gathering their things together. Rose went to her locker to put away her bookd and then headed for the door. She decided to fly home, even though her mother had offered to come back into town and get her. Rebecca walked to a place where there were no people and was about to take to the air when someone came around the corner. It was Elite,

"Elite! Where have you-"

"Shut up!" Elite cried, pushing her up against the wall of the building they were behind.

"Elite, what are you-"

"I said shut up. I have a little message for you to deliever. If you don't, then there will be a price to pay. Do you understand?" Elite said, pushing Rebecca up against the wall again.

"Elite-" Bfore she could react, Rebecca was pushed and pinned with her back to the wall.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND!" Elite bellowed in her face. All she could do was nod, terrified that he would scream at her again.

"Good. Now, you go tell your presious Rose that her days are numbered. She will know the wrath of the late Dr. Gero. She will learn that she is the one that is truely evil. Not only is she, but so are all of her kind. Make sure she knows her presious Goku can't save her now. Tell her I know she killed my creator twenty years ago."

"How do you know grandpa Goku?"

"TELL HER!" Elite bellowed, pinning her tighter against the wall, his arm against her throat, choking her.

"Fine. Just stop choking me." Elite released his hold and Rebecca threw a punch, hoping to catch him off guard. He grabbed her wrist and held her arm against the wall above her head. He then took the other wrist and done the same thing. She began to struggle, but he just held her wrists tighter. Rebecca went to kick, but Elite pressed his body up against hers, making it almost impossible to move.

"It's a shame I must kill you." This made Rebecca struggle harder. "But that's just how things are. You're a fighter, I like that. You will deliever my message for me, right, Rebecca?" Elite asked in the voice she knew.

"Just let me go." Rebecca said weakly.

"Will you, or won't you?" Elite asled, his voice once again dripping with hate.

"Anything to get you to let me go. You're not the Elite I know. The Elite I know would never do a thing like this."

"Oh, I'm the same Elite. This is just my true side. Before I go, though." Elite said, leaning down toward her head. Rebecca knew what he was going to do, so she turned her head. Elite, obviously upset, brought her wrists together straight above her head, scrapping her wrists and hands on the hard, uneven surface of the brick wall. The more Rebecca tried to struggle, the more weight Elite pressed against her.

Elite took both of Rebecca's wrists with one hand while he grabbed her chin roughly with the other and brought her eyes to his. She had never seen such fury in his eyes. Is all this hate for my mother, Rebecca thought, still struggling to get out of his hold. She tried to break free from him, but it didn't work. He kissed her, Rebecca struggling the whole time. When he pulled back, Rebecca spit in his face.

This seemed to infuriate Elite. He let go of her chin and slapped her as hard as he could. Rebecca had never felt so much anger in her life. She looked into Elite's eyes and said,

"You're a monster. Let me go. Now!"

"Such a temper. That's how my creator explained your mother to me.

"Your creator? What are you talking about?"

"I'm an android. Now, are you going to tell your mother what I told you tell her?"

"Yes. Now let me go." Elite kissed her again and then let her go. Rebecca threw a punch and Elite caught it it.

"I thought you were smarter than that, Rebecca." Elite said, slamming her up against the wall again.

"Let me go! Let go!" Rebecca screamed, struggling. He let go and she spun around him, letting his put his back against the wall.

"Very smart, but it's not enough." Elite said, coming toward her. Out of instinct, Rebecca took to the air. Elite followed close behind. Rebecca knew better than to go toward the house, so she went West.

"You know you can't get away from me, Rebecca. I never tire. I have an everlasting energy." Rebecca didn't say anthing, just kept flying, trying to get Elite as far away from her mother as she could. She continued to fly until she thought she was dar enough away from the city and then landed. As she watched him land she said,

"You're not getting my mother. I won't let you."

"Even if it takes killing you to get to her, I'll do it. But I have better plans for you."

"Like what?"

"You're coming with me."

"And if I don't?"

"Oh, you will, you will." Elite said as he rushed toward her. Rebecca braced herself for the attack. He brought his fist into her stomach, knocking the air out of her. She forced herself to recover quickly as he sent a volley of punches on her. She tried to catch up with his pace, and didn't think she could. Little by little, she began to keep pace in blocking his attacks.

I need to find an opening, Rebecca thought, feeling as if she had been blocking his attacks for hours. The more she blocked, the less she saw a chance to attack. Going out on a limb, Rebecca blocked with one arm and brought her other fist into Elite's stomach. This stopped him for a second, just enough time for Rebecca to begin her own volley of punches. This only lasted a couple of mintues until Elite said,

"I'm done playing. You could just surrender t-"

"Never." Rebecca cut in, sending the punches faster.

"Fine. Have it your way." Elite said, catching her hands. He pulled her close to him, kneeing her hard in the stomach. Then as she held her stomach, he hit her in the back of the neck. I'm going to die, were Rebecca's last thoughts before she blacked out.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Rebecca opened her eyes to strange surroundings. She was in what seemed like a labratory, but it was partly in shambles. She went to move, but couldn't She was laying against a wall, her back to it and on her left side. She looked across the room a the shape of someone in front of a table against the wall opposite her. She struggled against the ropes that held her ankles and wrists, and then realized that her ankles and wrists had been tied together with a third piece of whatever had been used to tie her.

"It won't work. You shouldn't even worry about trying to get out of that." Elite said, turning toward her. It was dark, so Rebecca couldn't see the expression on his face.

"What is it you want from me?"

"It's not you I want something from."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"You are closest to the person I want."

"So, are you saying that you're using me as a pawn to draw my mother to you?"

"If you want to look at it that way. Here. Drink this. It'll help."

"No. I don't trust you."

"But," Elite said, going back to the voice she had come to know, "I thought you trusted me?"

"Not anymore." Rebecca said, looking up at him as he squatted in front of her. Elite tried to bring whatever it was in the glass to her lips, but she turned her head.

"Fine. If you won't drink it willingly, then I'll have to force you to do it." Elite said as he took her chin between his fingers and moved her face so he could bring the glass to her lips. Rebecca tightly brought her lips together so the liquid wouldn't go in her mouth.

"Rebecca, you're being unreasonable. You act like I'm out to kill you." He still had the tone she knew from school in his voice. She didn't say anything, knowing there was a chance of him pouring the contents of the glass into her mouth. All she did was look up at him. He stood up and took the glass back to the table.

"You know, I was created here. This is the same room I was in the day your mother killed James. I was right there in that tank." Elite said, pointing to a tank on her left.

"And I should care why?"

"Now, Rebecca. Is that the way to talk to someone you care about?"

"Whoever said I cared?"

"Oh, I know you care. I knew your reaction to my kisses. You care much more than you think you do." Elit said in the cold, dark voice that scared her. He walked back over to where she lay on the floor and sat next to her. He took a switchblade out of his pocket and opened it. He set the cold steel against the skin of her neck, sending terrified chills down her spine.

"You know I could easily end your life, Rebecca. All it will take is a flick of my wrist. It could even be an accident. A sudden spasm of the wrists' muscles is all it'd take. No one would know." This scared Rebecca. Would he really do it? She didn't want to take the risk. She just looked at him, feeling her pulse against the side of the blade pressed against her throat. One false move or mistake could truely get her killed. She was terrified of this thought.

"Please take the knife away." Rebecca whispered, almost to tears.

"Are you scared?"

"A little." Elite took the blade away from her throat and she breathed a sigh of relief. Elite instead pushed up Rebecca's sleeve and brought the blade to her arm. All she could do was whimper as he cut her. Rebecca knew that the only thing struggling would do was make to the cut deeper.

"Now how scared are you?" Rebecca couldn't respond because of pain in her arm. She tried not to cry, but the pain was so intense the tears came upon their own will. Elite stood and walked back over to the table on the opposite side of the room. Rebecca looked at her arm and saw the blood flowing from the fresh wound. Elite returned with the switchblade in one hand, the glass he had tried to get her to drink from earlier in the other. He squatted beside her and said,

"Now will you drink?"

"No."

"Fine." Elite took the knife and cut her forearm quickly. Rebecca felt the searing pain from the cut, and nearly screamed. The only thing that kept her from it was she didn't want Elite to have the pleasure of knowing she was in so much pain.

"Well?"

"No, I won't."

"Ok." Elite said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Have it your way." He brought the blade quick and deep into Rebecca's right theigh, and she couldn't help but to scream.

"Did that hurt?" All Rebecca done was look at the floor, the tears flowing down her cheeks. Elite took the knife and cut right beneath the cut he had just created. Rebecca screamed again from the burning pain in both cuts, but still never said a word. She was to terrified to say anything. Elite brought the knife back to her leg, but didn't cut her this time. She looked at him and he quickly hit her with an open hand.

Rebecca cringed and closed her eyes, not wanting to give Elite the pleasure of knowing exactlly how much pain she was in. All she wanted was for him to stop raining torture upon her. She let the tears fall, now more out of fear than pain, not caring what was going to happen, just wanting the pain to stop.

"Drink!" Elite screamed, pushing the lip of the glass against her lips. When she wouldn't part her lips for the liquid, he pulled the glass away again.

"How long is it going to take for you to learn?" Elite said as he cut her theigh in two quick movements, each swipe in a different swipes.

"Stop." Rebecca said, not able to take the pain anymore.

"Only if you drink."

"Fine." Elite brought the glass to Rebecca's lips and she drank the best she could, considering she was laying on her side. When she finally finished the glass of horrible tasting liquid, she thought she was going to throw up as Elite brought the glass away from her lips.

"Now, see how easy that was?"

"That's easy for you to say." Rebecca said as the nausea passed. She suddenly felt sleepy, and then her eyelids began to get heavy. I can't fall asleep, Rebecca thought, fighting the darkness that was creeping up on her. Before she knew it, the darkness overtook her.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Rebecca awoke to see her father on the left side of the hospital bed she lay on.

"Hey, Becca. How are you feeling?" All she knew was that she hurt in her right limbs, she couldn't really think of why.

"I hurt in my right arm and leg."

"You've been but, Rebecca. Do you remember anything?" Her mother asked from her right. Rebecca thought for a second and then said,

"The last thing I remember is walking home from after school detention." Rebecca looked by the door on the right side and saw Elite. Seeing his face made a hazy memory come to mind. Something important. Then it all snapped into place. Elite had been the one to do this to her. "No. Get him out of here. It was all his fault. He's the one that done it."

"No, honey. Jacob found you and brought you to the hospital three days ago." Rose said.

"He was the one that hurt me. He cut me adn then made me drink something that made me pass out. Then he brought me here to cover it up." Rebecca said quickly.

"Becca, that was nothing but a dream. As far as I know, Jacob wouldn't hurt you." Tom said.

"But-"

"Becca, it was just a dream."

"If I may, may I have a few moments alone with Rebecca?" Elite asked, the voice she'd know from school floating toward her. The voice she liked. Had it been a dream? Had she been mugged or something?

"Of course. We'll go get some coffee. Come on, Rose." Tom said, heading to the door.

"We'll be back in a little bit." Rose said.

"Please. Don't go." Rebecca said, taking her mother's hand.

"It's ok, Rebecca. We'll be just down the hall." Rose said, trying to reassure her. Rebecca let go and looked down at the sheets across her lap. She watched her mother shut the door behind her and then looked at Elite. The look on Elite's face told Rebecca that he was the one that had attacked her.

"Now you listen and you listen well," Elite rasped, making Rebecca shrink on the bed a little. "If you so much as say one more word about what happened, I'll kill you and you're whole family. Do you understand?" All Rebeca could do was was nod. Elite came over to the bed and pulled out his switch blade.

"Please, not again." Rebecca whispered.

"Do you understand?" Elite asked again, bringing the blade to her skin and running the broadside of it down her arm.

"Yes." Rebecca whispered, choking back tears. "Just don't cut me again. Please."

"Now, why would I do that?" Elite asked, reverting back to the Elite she knew. He brought his face close to hers, their lips almost touching. "I saved you, remember?" He brought his lips to hers and she tried to pull away, but he grabbed her by the back of her neck, holding her head steady. All she could do was sit there, tears flowing down her cheeks. He pulled away and Rebecca said,

"You're a monster. I wish I would have never met you."

"Don't say that. You know better than believing that."

"I know better than believing you."

"Fine. Be that way. The more you deny, the more things will spring up on you. Just be forwarned. Don't think it won't." Elite said as he left the room.

Rebecca sat there a few minutes, taking in what had just happened, then burst into tears. What was she going to do? Keep it from everyone until it was to late? She already knew her parents didn't believe her. Who else was there? The boys? Or would they side with their parents and also dismiss it as a nightmare? Rebecca made herself stop crying and then wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Rebecca, honey, why are your eyes all puffy? Have you been crying? Are you in pain?" Rose asked as she walked in a few minutes later.

"Yeah." But not the kind you're thinking of, Rebecca thought. She decided to wait and see how things would play out for a little while before she said anything.

"I'll go see about some pain killers." Tom said, leaving the room.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Rebecca was back in school the next week, getting even more of the attention she hadn't wanted when Elite had first started going there.

"So, did you really get mugged?" A boy asked during drama that afternoon.

"No. Where in the world are you people getting this from, Andrew?"

"You're the talk of the school, Rebecca. There's even a couple of rumors flying around that you almost died."

"Did you?" Mandy, a tall, redheaded girl asked.

"No! Would you people just leave me alone?" Rebecca picked up her script and walked to the back of the classroom. She had asked to be taken out of the play and Mandy had replaced her, being the person that would have gotten the part had Rebecca refused it in the first place. She didn't think she could handle recent events and then the play at the same time. Rebecca had never been so happy to hear the bell ring to end class. She really didn't want to go up to the art room, but she had missed enouh school as it was.

Rebecca made it to the art room before the bell rang, and took her seat. She took out her project and got started. Sometimes she would glance around the room to see people whispering behind their hands and looking at her.

Great, Rebecca thought, that's all I need. Even more rumors to start. She went back to work on her project and was doing well when she heard,

"Rebecca." She practically jumped out of her skin and then looked to her right to see a senior named Jessica.

"Yes?" Rebecca asked, putting on a smile even though she knew what Jessica probably wanted.

"I know you've probably been asked this like a million times, but what exactly happened?"

"All I remember is walking home from school and then I woke up in the hospital."

"That's it?"

"Yep. Sorry to disappoint." Rebecca said dryly. Jessica got up from the chair she had sat down in next to Rebecca and walked to her table, shaking her head. Rebecca sighed and continued on her project. She had never felt so down as she had during school that day. She didn't know she could ever feel this down.

The bell rang and she practically flew to her locker. She couldn't wait to leave. She went to the place where she met her brothers and they started on their way to the elementary school.

"Boy am I glad today is over." Micheal said.

"You're telling me." Adan agreed. "One person asked if you had been raped. You weren't, were you?"

I don't think so. I think I would remember something like that." Rebecca said.

"I think so, too." Micheal said.

"If I knew who it was that done this, could I trust you guys to keep a secret until the time is right?" Rebecca asked, gathering all the courage she had and then some.

"But, Rebecca, this is serious. You have to tell mom and dad." Adan said, coming to a stand still.

"I've already tried. The didn't believe me."

"What do you mean, they didn't believe you? When did you tell them?" Micheal asked.

"Right after I woke up in the hospital."

"Why didn't they believe you?"

"They dismissed it as a nightmare."

"Who done it, Rebecca? Tell us. You know you can trust us to believe you." Adan said.

"It was Elite. He attacked me while I was walking home from after school detention." Rebecca said, bowing her head crying at the memory.

"It's ok, Rebecca." Rebecca brought her head up quickly as she felt Micheal wrap his arms around her in a hug. He had never hugged her before. She looked into her younger brother's face and had never seen such anger in his face before, and he was easy to make angry.

"We'll make sure he never sees the light of day agian." Rebecca looked over at Adan to see the same look of determination in his face as his brother had, the two never looking so much alike in their lives.

"Guys, no. We're waiting until the time is right. He said if I told anyoen and he found out, he'd kill all of us and mom and dad."

"And I plan on it. I never go back on my word." Rebecca's spine stiffened at the sound of the voice she heard. A drop of fear traveled down the length of her spine and then back up again. Rebecca broke from Micheal's embrace and turned to look at Elite. She looked at him straight in the eye with more confidence than she felt and said,

"No. Don't you drag them into this. It's me you want, not them."

"So you think."

"No! Leave them out of it!" Rebecca cried.

"We'll see." Elite said, taking a step toward her.

"Don't you touch her." Rebecca heard a voice grumble. It reminded her of the growl that rose deep in the throat of a dog protecting it's young.

"Well, isn't that noble? Big brother to the rescue, is it?" Elite said with a chuckle. That was Adan, Rebecca thought. She turned to see the most fierce look in his eyes she had ever seen. Elite took another step toward Rebecca and this time Micheal growled,

"Don't touch her."

"You think you can take me on?"

"Not here we won't." Adan said.

"Fine. You show me a good place, and we'll do this there."

"Fine. Follow us." Micheal said as he flew off, Adan following suit. Rebecca watched them go, realizing what she had gotten them into. The next thing Rebecca knew, something connected with the back of her head and darkness swallowed her.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Rebecca came to wishing she hadn't. She had never had a headache this bad before. She tried looking around, but the searing pain told her to think again. She closed her eyes and layed her head back down. That was when she realized she was in a cage.

How much worse can this get, Rebecca thought.

"Rebecca." she heard from her left. At first she thought she was hearing things. "Rebecca, are you alright?" Then it dawned on her she was listening to the voice of Adan.

"Yeah." Rebecca said. Even talking hurt her head.

"That doesn't sound like you're alright. Where are you hurt, Rebecca?" she heard from her right. Oh, great. This is just dandy, Rebecca thought. Without one of them to go help, there was no telling how long they were going to be there.

"Are you guys alright?" Rebecca said through her pain, ignoring the question she had just been asked.

"We're fine. He cheated, though." Micheal said.

"What? By taking me?"

"That and he used a weapon. He was able to knock us out by getting behind us and hitting us with whatever he had." Adan said.

"I don't know if he had intended to kill me with the hit he gave me, but it hurts pretty badly." Rebecca said, now able to sit up. She touched the back of her head and grimaced as it stung. Just as she had expected, there was blood.

"Are you alright?" Adan asked. Rebecca showed him her fingertips.

"If you wanna call this alright."

"Let me out of here!" Micheal screamed, shaking the door of his cage. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Promise?" Elite said as he entered the room.

"You cheating little bas-"

"No need for profanity. Especially in front of a lady." Elite said in inturruption to Adan's comment, giving Rebecca a look that made her stomach turn. She couldn't believe this was happening. It was all her fault that the boys were in this mess. If only she had kept her mouth shut.

Elite came up to Rebecca's and she scooted to the back where he couldn't reach her through the bars. She wanted nothing to do with him. Not after what she had been put through by him.

"What's wrong? Don't you like me anymore?"

"Give me one good reason."

"Get away from her." Adan said.

"Or what?"

"Let her alone!" Micheal yelled. Elite grabbed the sides of Rebecca's cage and shook it violently. Rebecca screamed and she heard,

"Stop!" She hoped he would do as Micheal asked, but it just made Elite shake the cage that much harder, laughing the whole time. All Rebecca could do was hold on to the cage and shake with it so she wouldn't jostle so much. After what seemed like forever, Elite finally stopped shaking the cage, then left, laughing. After he shut the door behind him, Rebecca broke out into tears.

"Rebecca, are you alright?" Adan asked. Rebecca nodded until she could say,

"I think so. More shaken up than anything."

"You didn't hit your head or anything?" Micheal asked.

"No, I didn't. I'm sorry I got you guys into this. If I had just kept my mouth shut, this would have never happened. How long has it been?"

"About a day. I just wish I knew where we were." Adan said. Rebecca looked around to see if she saw anything familliar to her. Even though she didn't see anything, she felt as if she had been there before.

"If my instincts tell me right, we're in the same place as I was last time he got me. It's just we're in a different room."

"You have the best memory of anyone I know, you know that?" Micheal asked.

"Thank you, but now isn't the ir the place to discuss my memory. We need to think of a way out of here."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

It had been about two or three days since the shaking incident, and the triplets still weren't finding a way out of their situation. Elite would bring them water every couple of hours, so apparently he wanted them alive. Just after he had left after bringing them water about midday, Rebecca realized something.

"Guys, he's trying to draw mom out. Mom was the one he wanted the whole time. He just decieded to go through me to get to her."

"Are you serious?" Micheal asked.

"Yeah. Last time he had me here, he just had me tied up and told me mom had killed his creator. Guys, he's an android."

"What? Are you sure?" Adan asked.

"That's what he told me. Do you think I would lie about something like that?"

"No."

"Well, good, cause I'm not. Have you come up with anything yet, guys?"

"No."

"No."

"Great. I have one plan, but I'm not sure if it's good enough to work."

"What is it?" Adan asked. Rebecca told the plan and then waited for their response.

"I don't lik the way it works, but as long as you think you can handle it until we get someone back here." Micheal said.

"What do you think, Adan?" Rebecca asked.

"I would rather you not do it, but right now it seems like the best bet we got. We better stick with this plan for now."

"Right." Rebecca and Micheal said in unison.

"Adan, when I throw the keys to Micheal, I want you to rattle your cage in protest so he doesn't hear them hit the floor, ok?"

"Ok." Adan said, nodding. Rebecca screamed at the top of her lungs, trying to get Elite's attention. He ran into the room and said,

"What's wrong with you?"

"Please let me out. I can't take this anymore."

"And why should I trust you?"

"Let me out and you'll find out."

"Are you stupid or something? You think I would really do that?"

"Please? I'll make it worth your while." Rebecca said, holding a false smile.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"If I let you out, and you try anything, you'll pay dearly for it."

"Sure. Whatever you say." Rebecca said as she watched him take out the keys and unlock the door to her cage. Rebecca climbed out of the cage and Elite helped her up. He put his hands around her back and kissed her. The kiss wasn't really like the first two they had shared, back before she found out what he really was, but she could put on a good act.

She brought her hands behind her and took his hands in hers. She deepened the kiss and Elite let lose of the keys, bringing his hands down her back and stopped at the very small of her back. Rebecca faked a sigh as she threw the keys toward Micheal's cage. Even though she was expecting it, it still made her jump when Adan shook his cage.

"What's your problem? Can't you see we're trying to make a deal here? Come on, let's go somewhere a little more private." Elite said, walking to the door. Rebecca stopped at the door, and said in a snobby voice,

"I feel sorry for you guys." Then mouthed "Hurry." Adan nodded one to show he understood. Rebecca walked out of the room thinking, I hope they're fast enough.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"So, what made you come to this decision?" Elite asked as he kissed Rebecca's neck.

"Don't really know. I just realized I still liked you, I guess." Man, all those romance movies paid off, Rebecca thought. After a few minutes, she saw Micheal's face poke out out from around the door.

Give me about one minute, Rebecca mouthed. Micheal nodded and ducked back into the room.

"Don't you have a room that you use? That's a lot more private?" Rebecca asked.

"Sure do. Come on." Elite said, going into the door next to the room that the boys were in. She let Elite enter his room and then she poked her head in to check on the boys. To her relief, they were both out of the cages.

"Hurry, guys. I don't know how long I can hold him off. You guys have a good sense of direction. Get your bearings and then fly like you've never flown before." Rebecca whispered.

"Rebecca." she heard Elite call.

"Coming. Guys, you have to hurry." Rebecca whispered.

"Just hold him off. Go to the bathroom and make yourself throw up if you need to." Adan whispered.

"Ok. Good luck, guys." Rebecca shut the door and walked into Elite's bedroom. It was actually nice looking. She walked over to the dresser and looked at the pictures. An old looking picture caught her eye. It was of a man with long white hair and a hat with a red bowtie shape with two R's on it. Beside him stood a short, pale-skinned man with a beanie-looking hat with the same symbol.

"Who are these people? Realitives?"

"Only the taller one. That was my creator's father. He was able to turn himself into an android. I started out as a human, too, you know."

"Really? Who's the shorter man?"

"That's Android #19. Dr. Gero also created the woman you know as 18. She and her twin brother, Android #17, were suppose to join with Cell and become the ultimate being. Your grandfather Gohan destroyed Cell."

"He did? I thought great-great-grandpa Hurcule killed him?"

"Nope. He just took the credit."

"I didn't know that." Rebecca said, seeing a way to stall.

"Yep. I'm surprised Gohan never gloated about it."

"Grandpa Gohan wasn't one to brag. He never liked killing. He would have rather not fought. He died about five years ago."

"Is Goku dead?"

"Yes. He died while I was still a baby. I never really got to meet him."

"So sad. I never got to meet my creator."

"What was his name?"

"James."

"Oh! That was my mother's step-father's brother."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Mom's step-father's name was John."

"Yeah, that was James' brother. Small world, huh?"

"You bet. You still have a copy of the script?" Rebecca asked, seeing it on the right side of the picture.

"I do, don't I? I was programmed with a photographic memory, so I only had to read it once."

"Wow. Wish I could learn my lines that quick. I dropped out of the play, you know."

"How come?"

"Let's just say I'm looking at the reason."

"Ah. I see."

Suddenly, a thought came to Rebecca.

"You didn't really get all my classes by chance, did you?"

"It was partially chance. I didn't realize you were Rose's daughter until I met her."

"And then you decided to lure her out by using me?"

"I sure did." Elite moved behind Rebecca and started kissing on her neck. She didn't expect it, so there was no acting like she enjoyed. I've gotta be more careful, Rebecca thought, catching herself and going back into actress mode.

"Don't act. Just go with it." Elite whispered in Rebecca's ear. A chill ran down her spine. He continued to kiss on her neck, letting the kisses go down to her shoulder and a sigh escaped her lips.

"See? Isn't that much better than acting like you like it?"

"Yes."

"Act this." Elite said in a cold voice. Rebecca stiffened as she felt cold steal on her throat. As quickly as it was felt, she couldn't breath. She fell to the floor, knowing she was going to die. She saw Elite above her and he said,

"Goodbye, Rebecca." and then she fell into the darkness.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

"We have to hurry." Adan called to Micheal.

"I knew he was bad news. If he hurts her..." Micheal trailed.

"Just come on. Don't think, just go." Adan said, speeding up. I hope we get back in time, he thought. Soon, they saw the house. Adan's face lit up as he landed by the door. Micheal landed and raced up the steps and the both ran inside.

"Mom! Dad!" Adan called. Before either of the boys could say anything else, they were both being hugged.

"Thank God you're alright! Where have you been? Where's Rebecca?" Rose said, becoming alarmed.

"There's not enough time to explain it. Come on!" Adan said, he and Micheal ran outside and took to the air. Adan looked back and saw his parents had followed suit.

Please don't let us be to late, Adan prayed.

Rebecca opened her eyes and sucked in a breath. Was it a dream? She stood up and looked around, noticing she wasn't in Elite's room anymore. She seen a blue walkway and clouds as far as she could see. She kept looking around and still couldn't figure out where she was.

"Where am I?" Rebecca asked herself. She started to walk, seeing where the walkway lead to. She walked and when looked into the distance, all she seen was more of the walkway. This is going to take a while, Rebecca thought, sighing.

She walked for about ten more minutes and a short blue man with sunglasses stopped her.

"What are you doing here?" The blue man said in a nasally voice.

"Well, I think I could ask you the same question." Rebecca said.

"I live here. See that house?" the man asked, pointing at an extremely large tree that had a house built in it's branches.

"Yes."

"That's my house."

"King Ki, who are you talking to? Rose?"

"You know my mother?"

"Rebecca? What are you doing here?"

"I don't even know where I'm at."

"You're on Snakeway. Do you even realize who I am?"

"No."

"I'm your great-great-grandfather Goku."

"Wait. I must be dreaming. You're dead."

"Yeah, that's right. There's only one way to get here."

"Wait, are you saying I'm..."

"Yes, Rebecca, you're dead.

"Over there, in those ruins." Adan said.

"What were you doing here?" Tom asked.

"We were kidnapped by Elite and brought here. Rebecca convinced him to let her out of her cage and she was able to sneak the keys to us so we could escape while she kept Elite occupied."

"Oh, dear Lord. She's not...is she?" Rose asked.

"She said she'd stall him as long as she could, even if it meant she had to make herself throw up."

"Well, come on. We can't stand here chatting while Rebecca's in there in danger." Micheal said, going in.

I'm dead? How can that be, Rebecca thought. Then she remembered.

"Oh, no. They were to late."

"Who was to late, Rebecca?" Goku asked.

"Mom, dad, and the boys. I can't believe this." Rebecca said, sitting before she fell.

"What happened?"

"I was killed by an android."

"An android? Did he have a red bowtie symbol with two white R's on him somewhere?"

"Not that I could see. But he had a picture of two other androids with that symbol on their hats. He called one #19 and the other Dr. Gero."

"That's what I thought."

"What?"

"Well..."


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

"They're in here!" Adan cried as he went into the underground labratory. He walked in and saw Elite come from the room he had seen Rebecca go into while he and Micheal escaped. Elite stopped when he saw them and said,

"Well, well, well. Looks like you got you. I knew there was something up when she said she'd make it worth my while."

"She what!" Adan heard his father scream. Before Adan could even think, Tom had Elite up against the wall. "Did you do anything to my daughter?"

"If you're implying that I slept with her, I didn't." Elite said calmly.

"Rose, go check the room." Tom said, not breaking his attention from Elite.

"I advise you not to do that."

"You mean they've been after you for years?" Rebecca asked.

"Pretty much. Seems like they've switched to your mother, now." Goku said.

"Oh, man, this is horrible. I got the boys out and they went to get help. They more than likely went straight to mom and dad. Mom's in danger, grandpa."

"There's nothing we can do but hope they take the android out. Why did you stay behind?"

"I was the only one that could distract him long enough."

"And how was that?"

"Um..." Rebecca said, blushing scarlet.

"Rebecca! You didn't, did you?" Goku said in a shocked voice, his face matching the horror in his voice.

"No. I stalled by mentioning #19 and Dr. Gero. He was making a move, but instead of doing anything, he killed me."

"That's horrible and cowardice. Well, let's wait this out and see what happens." Goku said.

"REBECCA!" Rose screamed as she ran into the room, Adan at her heels. He couldn't believe what he saw. Rebecca was laying in the floor, blood all over her clothes. He hoped against odds he knew were stacked against him, and hw approached both his sister and his mother, who sat over Rebecca, crying.

"Mom?"

"She's gone, Adan. He slit her throat." Rose said between sobs. Putting it into words made it seem more real.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I know this is going to be hard, but come see the work of this monster. You remember I told you about my past. By all means, this should be me, not your sister." Rose saoid as the tears flowed faster. Adan couldn't believe it. Not even twenty minutes earlier he had seen her walking around, and now she was dead. Adan jumped up and practically sent Micheal flying as he pushed past him. He burst out of the room and shoved him father out of the way.

"Why! WHY, DAMMIT!" Adan bellowed in Elite's face. "She liked you! She even trusted you! The you kidnap her, torture her, convince our parents you found her, then you kidnap all three of us! And you killed her! I want to know why!"

"He what!" Tom cried, racing into the room, out of sight. Adan looked at Elite and said,

"Tell me why, you worthless piece of shit!"

"Why not?" Elite asked causually.

"I don't think so. That ain't gonna cut it." Adan heard his mother say. He only looked away for a split second, but it was enough for Elite to break free from Adan's grasp. Now Adan was the one against the wall, a knife against his throat, the blade stained with his sister's blood.

"What are you going to do? Slit my throat, too? Can't you be more creative than killing two people the same way? There are plenty of killers out there who have killed hundreds and each one was killed in a different way." Adan said, trying to shake Elite's will.

"Why kill someone I'm not after?"

"As if you were after Rebecca?"

"I wasn't. I was after your mother, there. Now, I know two ways around this. You can either just let me have Rose and I'll be on my merry little way, or I can kill all of you one by one. Slaughter you like the animals you are." Elite said, looking straight into Adan's eyes.

"No. Let him go. Aren't one of my children enough for you?" Rose asked.

"And if I say no?"

"Just let him go. He doesn't have anything to do with this."

"No. I think I want him to stay right here."

"Let him go." Adan heard his father say, who had just exited the room that Rebecca's body lay in.

"What? You gonna stop me?"

"I said, LET HIM GO!" Tom bellowed as he grabbed Elite by the shoulders. Much to Adan's surprise, his father lifted Adan off the floor and flung him across the room like a ragdoll. Elite his the opposite wall and fell to the ground.

"Boys, stay by your mother." Tom said as Elite stood.

"You didn't really expect that to hurt me to much, now did you?" Elite said, brushing off his shirt as if all he did was trip.

"No, not really." Tom said. Adan couldn't believe what he was seeing. By all rights, with what he had just seen his father do, Elite should have been out cold.

"Boys." Adan heard his mother whisper, "this is what your trainning was for. She me and your father not make it out of this battle, I want you both to promise me that you'll try your best to take him out."

"Don't say that." Adan said, looking at her.

"We'll make sure you and dad make it. We'll do it for Rebecca."

"Grandpa, it's been hours. I can't just sit around like this knowing that they're in danger." Rebecca said, pacing.

"I know it's hard, Rebecca, but it's all we can do."

"They're fighting." King Ki said.

"How do you know that?" Rebecca asked.

"King Ki is, well, was, guardian of our section of the universe. He knows everything that happens on Earth, just as Dende does."

"I met Dende once. Mom took us to train in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

"So, you've been trainning?"

"Yes."

"This is why. In case something like this happened." Goku said.

"I think I can communicate with one of them." King Ki said.

"Do what? Which one?" Rebecca asked.

"It'll be the older boy. He seems to be the most clear headed at the moment."

"Will I be able to talk to him?"

"Yes. Just put your hand on my shoulder."


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Adan can you hear me? Adan must have been hearing things because he could have sworn he heard Rebecca ask if he could hear her. That's impossible, Adan thought, she's dead.

Adan? Adan tried to ignore it and focus on his father, who was no fighting Elite. Adan had not clue who had the upper hand in the situation, they both seemed to land as many punches as the other.

Adan, if you can hear me, answer. This can't be my imagination, Adan thought.

"I can hear you, Rebecca."

"Do what?" Micheal asked.

Adan, what's happening?

"Dad's fighting Elite."

"We can see that already, Adan." Micheal said.

How's he doing?

"They both have about the same strength."

"Who in the world are you talking to?" Micheal asked.

"I know this is going to sound crazy, but I'm talking to Rebecca."

"Adan, are you sure?" Rose asked.

"Yes, but I just don't know how."

Tell her I'm here with grandpa Goku.

"She said to tell you that she's with grandpa Goku, mom."

"I know how she's doing it. Grandpa Goku done this with grandpa Gohan when he defeated Cell."

"But I thought grandpa Hurcule defeated Cell?"

"No. It was grandpa Gohan. Now isn't the time to discuss it."

"Rebecca, do you know a way to defeat Elite?" Adan asked.

No. All I know is that he tries to cheat by using weapons.

"Ok. Dad, watch out for Elite to pull a weapon!" Adan cried. This caused Elite to look up and glare at Adan. Tom hit Elite in the face, sending him to the floor.

"Dad has Elite down, Rebecca!"

He does?

"Yeah."

DAD!

"What's happening, Adan? Adan. Can you hear me, Adan?" Rebecca said, dropping her hand to her side.

"What happened?" Goku asked.

"Dad got Elite down on the floor and then Adan screamed for dad. After that, he couldn't hear me."

"This isn't good." King Ki said.

"What? What happened to dad?"

"DAD! Micheal, no!" Adan cried as his brother rushed toward Elite. The table had turned so quickly. One minute he thought his father had the upper hand, the next he was on the floor. Micheal reached Elite and then him in square in the face. This done, Micheal moved away from their father, Elite going after him.

Adan almost immeaditly saw what his brother was doing. Micheal was making it so their father wouldn't get hurt. Adan looked at his mother and said,

"Mom, we have to get dad out of the way. Come on. This is what Micheal was hoping for."

"Ok. Where are we going to take him?"

"That fastest and safest place possible. In the room with Rebecca."

"The younger boy is fighting. Your father has been knocked unconscience. Your mother and other brother are moving him from harm's way."

"Oh, thank God. Is Micheal doing well?"

"At the moment."

With Tom out of the way, Adan and his mother went back out to see about Micheal. Luckily, Tom had been breathing when they left him, but there was something on his face. A powder of some sort. It's probably what knocked him out, Adan thought.

"I won't let you hurt my mother." Micheal said as he threw a punch.

"Is that so?" Elite asked causually.

"Not while I'm still alive."

"That can be arranged."

"Micheal, don't let your mout overrun your brain." Adan said quietly.

"He's always had a short temper, but you have to trust him. Especially during a time like this." Rose said. Adan looked at his mother and it looked as if she had aged at least twenty years in the past three hours. Her hair was going from jet-black to white. She must be going into some kind of shock, Adan thought. She's been through so much in her life. This is something that isn't needed. If Micheal doesn't take him out, I will.

At that moment, Micheal was thrown right into Adan, sending them both into the wall behind them. It had hurt, but he regain his composure and then checked to see if Micheal was alright. Adan got out from under his brother's unconscience body and stood. He looked at this mother and said,

"Look after Micheal, mom. I'm going to take care of this problem."

"You be careful."

"Don't worry." Adan said, going in.

"What? You think you can do any better than your father and brother did?"

"No, I don't. I know I can." Adan said.

"Confident, are we? Well, I'm going to show you how much you underestimate me." Elite said as he rushed Adan. Adan went straight into defense mode.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Rebecca had stopped paying attention to King Ki was pacing again. It's been three hours since I died, Rebecca thought. She had not clue what was happening down on earth, and it was driving her crazy not knowing.

"How can you just sit there?" Rebecca asked her great-great-grandfather.

"Rebecca, I know how you feel. I had to do this exact same thing when Gohan was fighting Cell." Goku said, standing.

"You weren't worried about your whole family, grandpa."

"You're wrong. Not only was I worried about my whole family, but I was worrying about all the people on earth."

"Oh, yeah. Cell was going to destory the earth, not just you and grandpa Gohan." Rebecca said, looking down.

"It's ok, Rebecca. It's ok to be scared." At this, Rebecca ran into her grandfather's arms and burst into tears.

"It'll be fine, Rebecca. Your parents know what they're doing." Goku said, smoothing her hair.

This is really quite as easy as it looks, Adan thought. He was fighting harder than he'd ever fought before. He and Micheal would sometimes go out in the back yard and actually fight, seeing if their training had paid off. Elite played a little tougher of a game. He was so random with his punches, it was hard to keep up.

Adan kept his mind on Elite, but in the back of his mind, he wondered if Rebecca was still there. In a way, he knew she wasn't. Adan watched how things were going with his fight, and then he realized Elite wasn't trying to kick. Maybe he only uses his upper body strength, Adan thought. He waited for a couple seconds and then kicked Elite in the side, throwing him off guard.

Not only did he use his fists, he also used his feet. Adan noticed that even though Elite fell in the groove of Adan's punches quickly, he seemed to lack the skill to really get his arms and legs to work together in his favor, so Adan took this to his advantage.

Adan waited until the right moment and once agaian kicked Elite in the side, this time sending him flying. Elite hit a wall and fell to the floor. Adan turned to look at this mother.

"Don't underestimate him. Don't turn your back." Rose warned.

"Right." He turned with just enough time to see Elite getting up. Elite rushed Adan, but he was able to move of Elite's attack range.

"Do you really think it would be that easy to get me?" Adan asked. Elite turned and looked at Adan. Adan had never seen that level of anger on anyone's face, not even Micheal's. Elite rushed Adan again, and Adan once again dodged. "You're very predictiable, you know that?"

"You little-" Elite said, rushing again.

"I can do this as long as you can." Adan said as Elite turned. Elite went to rush again, but stopped just as he reached Adan. Adan surprised Elite by throwing a punch that landed square on his nose. That was all it took for Adan to get the upper hand.

Finally down to nothing but a sniffle here and there, Rebecca broke away from her grandfather's embrace.

"Feel better?" Goku asked, looking at his puffy-eyed great-great-granddaughter.

"Yes. Much better." Rebecca said with a small smile. "I wonder how things are going with mom and the boys?"

Adan hadn't relaized that he had known how to get the upper hand so quickly. Elite seemed to be in his own world as he and Adan fought. Adan knew better that to let his guard down. He focused on the task at hand and nothing else. As Adan took more and more ground, he became more confident.

As long as I pay attention, I can do this. I'm doing this for Rebecca, Adan thought. Thinking of what Elite had done to his sister, Adan became enraged.

"Why?" Elite was caught off guard and Adan hit him in the face, not even meaning to. Without skipping a beat, Adan continued to hit Elite.

"Why?" Adan asked again. As Elite began to slowly catch onto the swing of Adan's punches, he asked,

"Why, what?"

"Why did you kill her?"

"Because she didn't give me what I wanted."

"You killed her because she didn't have sex with you?"

"No. I killed her because she wouldn't bring your mother to me."

"What are you going to do to her now that she's here?"

"Kill her."

"Why?"

"Because she killed James."

"What did James even mean to you?" Rose said from behind Adan. This seemed to surprise Elite, and adan set off a volley of punches on Elite, who tried to dodge, but couldn't. One, two, three punches landed square on Elite's nose. He fell to the floor and Adan walked up.

"Never let your guard down." Adan said.

"Neither should you." Elite said, bringing out his hands.

"I'm not." Adan said, jumping back out of Elite's reach. Elite got to his feet and stepped up to Adan. They stood for a few minutes, facing off. That was when Adan realized how much taller Elite was than himself. Size, Adan thought, remembering back to when he and his great-grandfather had went into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber when he was ten. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Use their size against them, Adan remembered. Adan smiled and Elite said,

"Are you actually glad I'm going to kill you?"

"No."

"Then why are you smiling?"

"This." Adan said, punching Elite in the stomach. As he reached down the grab his stomach, Adan grabbed his hands and then slung Elite to the ground directly behind him, hard. Elite looked stunned for a moment, enough time for Adan to bring his foot down on Elite's face.

"Now, why do you want my mother so badly?"

"She killed my creator. Why should you care?"

"Because she's my mother. I'm going to protect her as well and as long as I can. Even if it means I die."

"Adan, no." Rose said. Adan had forgotten his mother was right there listening.

"Fine." Elite said as he grabbed Adan's ankles. Adan tried to move, but wasn't fast enough. As soon as Adan had hit the floor, Elite had something and was bringing it down on him. The last thing Adan thought was, where'd he get that, as his vision went dark.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

"Oh, no!" King Ki cried. This caught Rebecca's attention. She shot up out of her chair and ran to his side.

"What happened?"

"The boy..."

"Adan?"

"Yes."

"What happened?" Rebecca cried, becoming alarmed. Goku had gotten up and walked over to Rebecca.

"King Ki?" Goku asked.

"If he's not dead, he'll be lucky to make it out alive."

"Adan!" Rebecca cried, falling into her great-great-grandfather's arms, crying.

"Adan! You monster!" Rose screamed, seeing the blood gush from her eldest son's head. She stood and then rushed Elite. She got to him and then stopped. The rise and fall of Adan's chest caught her attention. He's alive, Rose thought.

With her attention deverted to her son, Rose didn't realize she was so close to Elite until he hit her. She stumbled back a couple of steps and then saw red. She looked at Elite and rasped,

"You killed my daughter and seriously injured one of my sons. All at a chance to come at me. Why didn't you just come after me in the first place?"

"Because I wanted to watch you suffer."

"Because you have no heart. You didn't even want to kill Rebecca." Rose said, trying to break his resolve, find a true weakness.

"No, I meant to do it. I knew you would come if at least one of them were in some kind of danger. This is just a lot more than you thought." Elite said, smiling.

"If I had known where they were three days ago, I would have come a lot sooner." Rose said.

"Really, now? Do you really think that would have changed anything?"

"I do, yes. They would have food in them. I can tell you deprieved them of food. If I would have found them earlier, they would have had the strength to fight you. I have the strength."

"Really? Are you sure you can kill me?"

"And why not? I killed John and James, did I not?"

"True, but they were not nearly as nimble as I am." Elite said, going into a fighting stance. Rose didn't even worry about fighting stance, she just launched herself at him. Catching him off guard, she gained the upper hand quickly. Within the span of five seconds, she had him on the floor. Rose straddled Elite's torso and began hitting him as hars as she could.

As Rose hit him, she cried. She cried for her now dead daughter, her near-dead son, and her unconscience son and husband. Rose couldn't believe this was happening. She had never wanted her children to go through anything she had as a child. Now look at Rebecca, her only daughter.

After no telling how long, Rose stood. She looked down at the android on the floor. As soon as she was pleased that he was hurt, even though he wasn't bleeding near enough for her tastes, she turned to Adan.

"It's ok, Adan. Everything's going to be ok." Rose knew she wasn't done yet, but she wanted to make sure her son was still alive. Right before she turned around to finish the job, Rose felt a shooting pain in the back of her left ankle. She to turn, but her ankle collapsed.

She caught her balance on her right foot and looked down. When she looked down, Rose saw that the tendon in her left ankle had been cut. Before she could do anything else, Rose felt a sharp pain in her right ankle and she fell to the floor.

Just as Rose registered that the tendon on the right had also been cut, Elite straddled her, his knees resting heavily on her outstretched arms.

"Get off me!" Rose cried, struggling.

"No." Came Elite's simple reply.

"I said, get off me!" Rose screamed.

"And I said no." Elite said calmly, leaning to his right and slitting Rose's wrist. She screamed as the knife went through her skin, then the vein underneath. Elite leaned to the left and and done with that wrist what he had done with the right one. As Rose screamed, Elite turned around, this time his feet coming up against her shoulders and pinning her down. He just sat there, not doing anything.

"What is it you want?" Rose asked through her pain.

"To watch you suffer. And to make sure you don't go any where." Elite said said, cutting deep into Rose's right knew. She felt the leader in her knee be cut. He knows I can't walk without the leader, Rose thought through her pain. She screamed again as Elite cut the leader in her left knee.

"Get off her!" Rose heard from her right. She looked toward the room she and Adan and taken Tom to while Micheal fought Elite. It was Tom, and he didn't look happy.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

"Hello?" Rebecca heard from outside the house. Oh, no, she thought as she jumped up.

"What is it?" Goku asked, following her to the door.

"Not what, who." Rebecca said as she left the house.

"Rebecca? But you're dead."

"I know, Adan." Rebecca said, looking at her brother.

"So you're the one that put up a good fight against the android? You sure do look like your father." Goku said when he heard Rebecca say his name.

"Who's this?" Adan asked, looking completely lost.

"Grandpa Goku."

"Our great-great-grandfather?" Adan asked.

"Yes." Rebecca said.

"You mean I'm-" Adan said, realization coming to his eyes.

"Yes, Adan." Rebecca whispered.

"I said get off her!" Tom screamed as he picked Elite up by his shirt, completely throwing him off guard. Rose saw it as an oppertunity and dragged herself out of the way, even though it caused the cuts in her wrists to widen. Just as Rose got to a safe distance, Tom threw Elite against the wall.

Elite slid down the wall and to the floor, where he quickly stood and then charged at Tom. Tom tried to move in time, but he wasn't quick enough.

"TOM!" Rose screamed as the switchblade to into Tom's right shoulder, all the way to the handle. Elite back off to survey the damage he had done. Rose couldn't believe it. Tom had just taken a knife to his shoulder and didn't even scream. As both she and Elite watched, Tom grabbed the handle of the switchblade and pulled it from his shoulder. It even made Rose flinch, but all Tom done was look at Elite.

His instincts have taken over, Rose thought, he has no clue what he's doing. Elite seemed just as stunned as Rose by what Tom was doing. So stunned, in fact, he couldn't seem to move. Tom closed the space between him and Elite quickly.

Before Rose could really register that Tom had moved, he brought the knife up and cut Elite's face, using the switchblade as if it were his fist. Elite screamed as he was cut repeatedly.

"This is for my wife. This is for Adan. This is for Micheal." Tom said as he swung his fist faster and faster. When it seemed he had enough of that, Tom stabbed Elite in the throat and then brought the blade straight down, going through Elite's skin like a hot knife through butter until it hit his breast bone.

Rose heard the knife hit the bone and then could only imagine how that felt. Suddenly, Rose's eyes felt heavy. She looked down at her wrists and saw the pools of blood around them. She closed her eyes as she heard Elite gurgle and then he fell to the floor. Rose felt someone next to her.

"Rose? Hunny?" It was Tom. It felt like forever before she could open her eyes, but she finally done it.

"Tom." She whispered.

"It's going to be ok."

"Don't kid yourself, Tom. Look at how much blood I've lost. We both know I'm going to die."

"Don't say that." Tom said. Rose saw the tears well up in his eyes. "I need you. Don't leave me."

"You've said something like that before. At prom, remember?" Rose said with a weak smile.

"Yes."

"Check on Adan." Rose said. She had to know if he was still alive.

"Ok." Tom walked over and bent down to check on Adan. "No. Adan, no!" Tom cried.

"What?" Rose asked, feeling herself get weaker.

"He's gone. Where's Micheal?"

"He's over by the wall. He's still alive, just unconscience."

"You can't leave us, Rose." Tom said, his tears spilling over.

"It'll be fine. I'll be with Adan and Rebecca. Someone's going to have to be there to break up their fights." Rose said with a faint smile.

"Yeah." Tom said with a laugh. He leaned down and kissed her, and even though she was laying down, her knees still went weak.

"Even after all these years, your kisses still make my knees go weak." Rose said with a smile.

"Good." Tom replied.

"I love you, Tom." Rose said, no longer able to keep her eyes open.

"More than you know." She heard Tom say. The last thing she felt was Tom kiss her.

"There's no way I can be dead." Adan said.

"I'm sorry, Adan." Rebecca said.

"But-"

"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. It has to be if I'm here." Goku said.

"I know. But I'm dead. That's the whole thing. I can't imagine myself dead."

"It took me a few hours to truely believe I was dead. It'll be ok, Adan. Don't worry."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Have I ever lied to you before?"

"Yes."

"I have not! When?"

"When we were eight. You told me and Micheal our birthday presents were in the basement."

"I did, but they were really there!"

"Hey, now, you two. Quit that squabbling." Rebecca and Adan both turned at the same time to see their mother, but Rebecca was the first in her arms.

"Mom, I'm sorry I got you and Adan killed. This was all my fault." Rebecca said through tears.

"Well, you can't say you're better off than we are, now can you?" Rose asked in the most understanding voice Rebecca had ever heard in her life.

"I guess not." Rebecca said, pulling from her mother's embrace and drying her tears.

"It's been a long time, grandpa Goku. Snake way is exactlly like you told me."

"Yep. Welcome to your new home." Goku said as he wrapped Rose up in a hug.


	42. Epilouge

Epilouge

"It's already been a year. I can't believe it." Tom said as he and Micheal stood at his mother and siblings' graves. He would never forget that Rebecca had given her life so that he and Adan could go get help. It had been hard to get through a birthday without the siblings he had spent the past 16 of them with.

"I know, son. I know. Your mother tod me someone had to be with your brother and sister to keep them from squabbling." Tom said, a smile playing at his lips.

"That doesn't surprise me." Micheal said, remembering how they would fight over the most unimportant things.

_I love you_, Micheal heard. Out of instict her said,

"I love you, too, mom."

"More than you know." Tom said at the exact same time. They looked at each other and said,

"You heard that?" Then they both broke out in laughter. It was the first time in a year they had a reason to laugh.

"Mom's watching over us." Micheal said with a smile.

"As are Adan and Rebecca." Tom said.

"Yeah."

"Ok. Let's go home. How about we go home and watch old home movies? I think it's about time we start remembering." Tom said.

"Really?" Micheal asked. He thought it would be at least another year before they got the home movies out again.

"Yeah. Remember when you guys were eight and Rebecca told you the presents were in the basement?" Tom asked as they walked.

"Yeah."

"They really were there. We just moved them before you boys found them so you wouldn't open them early." Micheal remembered how he and Adan looked and they weren't where she said they were and they didn't talk to her until the next day at the party.

"So she really never did lie to us."

"Nope. She loved you to much to lie. Just as your mother did."

"Let's go home and remember." Micheal said.


End file.
